Chennai: The District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum, Chennai (South), has directed a private hospital to pay a compensation of Rs 1.55 lakh to a child for causing negligence in treatment provided to her for simple fracture. She sustained fracture while skating. In the petition, S. Sridevi, Arumbakkam, submitted that her daughter Nithyasree met with an accident on September 27, 2012, while skating at the Nehru Stadium rink. Immediately she was rushed to Padmini Nursing Home, Chetpet, for treatment. After applying PoP on her left arm, she was asked to come the next day, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Ismail noticed a fracture in her hand and discharged her on September 29. However, the child was brought back on the next day as she was complaining of pain and an X-ray was taken. On October 3, she was informed a surgery has to be performed and a plate needs to be fixed, at a cost of Rs 30,000. She already spent Rs 28,490 for her treatment earlier.
Later, she was admitted to Appasamy Hospital, Arumbakkam on October 7, 2012, for a review. The doctors at Appasamy hospital performed a surgery since the earlier hospital had not set right the arm properly. She sent notice to the proprietor of the hospital, Rajaram and Dr N.D.M. Ismail contending that their action amounts to a gross deficiency in service and caused mental agony and hardship to her and his daughter.
She sought a compensation of Rs 3 lakh. Denying the allegation, the hospital and the surgeon sought dismissal of the petition. The bench said that she already spent Rs 28,490 for a simple fracture and within seven days the same hospital administered further surgery for fixing a plate. This proves the deficiency of service, unfair trade practice on the part of the hospital. The bench directed the hospital to pay the petitioner Rs 1.55 lakh towards compensation, mental agony and deficiency of service.
