20 years after son’s death, city hospital told to pay woman Rs 15 lakh

CHENNAI: A Chennai consumer forum has directed KKR ENT Hospital to pay a complainant Rs 15 lakh for negligence, almost 20 years after her son’s death. Eswari Kannan had approached a doctor at the hospital on January 11, 1999 with son K Ravikumar. Ravikumar, 28, had discharge from his ears. She paid Rs 21,600 for treatment. Ravikumar stayed at the hospital overnight.

The next day, allegedly without informing his sister who was attending to him, he was taken to operation theatre. “Due to loss of her son by the negligent act committed by opposite parties, she should have suffered from immeasurable agony.... in such a pathetic situation there is no other alternative excepting to order compensation...,” the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (North), presided over by president K Jayabalan observed in an order on May 31. The complainants said Mastoidectomy, Metoplasty and Ossiculoplasty were performed “unauthorizedly.”

Ravikumar allegedly suffered severe headaches thereafter. On February 15, 1999 he was admitted to Government General Hospital, Chennai for treatment. Two days later he died allegedly due to “Post Mastoidectomy Meningitis”. “The patient was seen routinely over the next week (after his discharge) and was sent back to Salem,” the hospital countered.