Delhi hospital asked to pay Rs 60,000 for medical negligence

New Delhi: A city-based hospital has been directed by consumer forum to pay Rs 60,000 as compensation to an accident victim, for taking X-ray of his uninjured leg and recommending that neither of his legs required any treatment.

The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum held Jaipur Golden Hospital guilty of medical negligence and expressed displeasure over the hospital's "attitude" of describing the incident as a "clerical mistake".

"We are shocked at the attitude of opposite party (Jaipur Golden Hospital) in describing wrong X-ray of leg as clerical mistake. This is a case of serious negligence leading to emotional trauma and pain. We hold opposite party guilty of medical negligence and deficiency.

"We award a total compensation of Rs 60,000 inclusive of litigation charges," a bench presided by CK Chaturvedi said.

The forum passed the order on the complaint of Delhi resident Nikhil Gupta, who had said that he had gone to the out-patient department (OPD) of Jaipur Golden Hospital on May 23, 2009, the day he met with the accident.

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At the hospital, his knees were examined and X-ray was advised, he had said, adding only his right knee was x-rayed, which showed no injury, while the left was not.

Without conducting X-ray examination of his left leg the hospital opined that there was no problem with his knee and did not recommend any treatment, Mr Gupta alleged.

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He then went to another hospital where he underwent surgery on his left knee.

The hospital, in its reply, admitted that only the right knee was X-rayed and described it as a clerical mistake.

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