CHENNAI: The Coimbatore District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC) has directed a hospital and three doctors to pay Rs 20 lakh as compensation to a complainant whose wife had died because of medical negligence.

In 2018, the complainant Saipreman’s wife Rajalakshmi fell from scooter when a dog crossed her path. She had a fracture, and the doctor said that a surgery was needed, for which a nurse did a blood transfusion.

Rajalakshmi complained of body pain but it was not treated at the right time.

Later, other complications followed and she died. Following this, Saipreman filed a police complaint, and a post-mortem report stated cause of death as transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) due to blood transfusion for surgical procedure of fractured mandible.

The commission headed by the president R Thangavel directed the doctors and the hospital jointly to pay Rs 20,00,000 as compensation to the complainant for the mental suffering, emotional trauma caused by their negligence and deficiency in service, and an additional Rs 5,000 towards the cost of proceedings. The compensation must be paid within a one month from the date of the order failing which, they would be liable to pay 9% annual interest towards the complaint until the said amount was realised. The complaint against the 5th party – the blood blank – was dismissed.