State Consumer Commission Orders Rs 18 Lakh Compensation for Delay in ICU Admission
Mumbai: In a significant ruling, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has held Nashik-based Workhardt Hospitals guilty of medical negligence and deficiency in service, resulting in the death of a young patient in 2010. The Commission directed the hospital to pay a compensation of ₹18 lakh to the patient’s father, along with 10% annual interest from the year 2010.
The Commission observed that the hospital failed to shift the patient to the ICU in a timely manner, despite the worsening of his condition. It found that the complainant had successfully established that there was an unreasonable delay in providing critical care.
The case dates back to April 2010, when the complainant’s son was admitted to the hospital for a nosebleed. According to the complaint, the boy fell and experienced chest pain around 3:00 AM on April 16, but was not moved to the ICU until 7:00 AM. Despite his deteriorating condition, the hospital allegedly failed to inform the family and did not allow them to meet the patient.
The complainant further alleged that though his son had died around 8:30 AM, the hospital continued treatment until 12:30 PM to create a false impression of medical efforts. The official declaration of death came much later, at 8:50 PM.
Workhardt Hospital denied all allegations and argued that the patient’s family had initially refused ICU admission, as documented in the ICU register. The hospital claimed that all medical protocols were followed and that the patient’s death was due to his complex health history and his discontinuation of prescribed antihypertensive medication 8–10 days prior.
The hospital pointed to the patient’s chronic health conditions—hypertension, dyslipidemia, a history of smoking and alcohol use, and a stressful, sedentary lifestyle—as contributing factors. Expert opinions submitted by the hospital stated that stopping medication like Betaloc critically worsened the patient’s hypertension, leading to cardiac arrest.
Despite these arguments, the State Consumer Commission, presided over by Justice S.P. Tavade and member Vijay C. Premchandani, ruled in favour of the complainant. The panel concluded that there was indeed a delay in providing ICU care, thereby violating the patient’s right to timely medical treatment.
The Commission overturned the earlier decision by the District Consumer Forum, which had dismissed the complaint. On July 17, the State body directed Workhardt Hospital to compensate the deceased’s father with ₹18 lakh, along with interest calculated from 2010.
