Tirupati: District Consumer Court, Nellore, presided over by Judge Ginka Reddy Sekhar, fined Medicover Hospital, formerly Simhapuri Hospital, ₹61.62 lakh for medical negligence, which led to complete loss of vision in the left eye of a patient, apart from severe health complications.
Chevuru Suresh Babu, panchayat secretary of Sullurpet, Tirupati district, had been admitted to Medicover for sinusitis surgery.
Following the procedure under general anaesthesia on May 11, 2017, Suresh Babu developed serious complications within 24 hours, including drooping eyelid and total loss of vision in his left eye, apart from complications affecting the head and brain.
Due to his deteriorating condition, Suresh Babu sought treatment at Apollo Brain & Spine Hospitals in Chennai, where he underwent multiple surgeries to address the complications caused by the initial procedure.
Subsequently, Suresh Babu filed a case against Medicover Hospital in the District Consumer Court, alleging medical negligence. While the hospital denied the charges, the court noted that the hospital failed to produce essential medical records and operation notes, which raised concerns about the quality of care provided.
After reviewing expert medical opinions and evidence submitted by the victim, the court determined that Medicover had been negligent.
Judge Sekhar ordered the hospital to pay Rs.21,62,752.49 to cover medical expenses incurred during subsequent treatments, an additional Rs.40,00,000 as compensation for the patient’s physical and mental suffering, and Rs.5,000 towards case costs.
Medicover has been instructed to comply with the court’s order within 45 days. Failure to do so will result in an additional 9 per cent annual interest on the amount.
