District Consumer Commission Holds Hospital Liable for Patient’s Untimely Death
In a significant ruling highlighting accountability in healthcare services, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC) in Darbhanga has held a private hospital guilty of medical negligence that allegedly resulted in the untimely death of a 47-year-old patient. The Commission directed Paras Global Hospital to pay Rs 33.20 lakh as compensation to the deceased patient’s family.
The order was passed by a bench comprising Commission President Piyush Kamal Dixit and Member Arun Kumar Srivastava after hearing a consumer complaint filed by the victim’s family.
Compensation Breakdown Ordered by Consumer Commission
According to the Commission’s order, the compensation package includes:
- Rs 28.80 lakh for loss of life
- Rs 2.40 lakh for future losses
- Rs 1.10 lakh towards medical expenses
- Rs 25,000 for property loss
- Rs 40,000 for loss of consortium
- Rs 15,000 for funeral expenses
- Rs 10,000 towards litigation costs
The Commission directed the hospital management to pay the awarded amount within 45 days of receiving the order. Failure to comply within the stipulated period will attract interest on the compensation amount.
Family Alleged Negligence and Lack of Transparency
The case dates back to January 2023 when the patient was admitted to the hospital after his health condition deteriorated. According to the family, medical examinations were conducted on January 7, following which hospital authorities allegedly informed them that the patient was out of danger.
However, later that night, the patient’s condition reportedly worsened, and he died around midnight.
The family alleged that medical negligence and lapses in treatment led to the patient’s death. They further claimed that the hospital failed to provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the cause of death and details of the treatment administered.
Dispute Over Medical Records and Treatment Details
The complainants alleged that despite repeated requests, the hospital did not provide the complete treatment chart of the deceased patient. Instead, they were handed a medical bill amounting to Rs 1,10,309.
Seeking justice, the deceased’s father-in-law, advocate Krishna Kumar Mishra, along with his wife and the couple’s two minor sons, approached the District Consumer Commission and filed a consumer complaint against the hospital.
Verdict Welcomed by Family’s Counsel
Reacting to the judgment, counsel for the complainants, Murari Lal Kevat, welcomed the Commission’s decision and described it as a significant victory for the bereaved family after a prolonged legal battle.
He stated that the ruling reinforces the accountability of healthcare institutions toward patients and serves as an important reminder of their responsibility to ensure proper medical care and transparency in treatment.
