Consumer court holds Bihar's hospital guilty in medical negligence case, slaps Rs 33.2 lakh compensation

Darbhanga: Holding a Darbhanga-based hospital guilty of medical negligence leading to the untimely death of a patient, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC) has directed the hospital to pay Rs 33.20 lakh compensation to the family of the deceased patient.

A bench of the consumer commission, comprising Commission President Piyush Kamal Dixit and member Arun Kumar Srivastava, passed the order after hearing the consumer complaint filed in this regard.

According to the Commission's order, the compensation package includes Rs 28.80 lakh for loss of life, Rs 2.40 lakh for future losses, Rs 1.10 lakh towards medical expenses, Rs 25,000 for property loss, Rs 40,000 for loss of consortium, Rs 15,000 for funeral expenses, and Rs 10,000 towards litigation costs, UNI has reported.

The Commission has directed the Paras Global hospital management to pay the compensation within 45 days of receiving the order. Failure to comply within the stipulated period would attract interest on the awarded amount.

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The history of the case goes back to 2023, when the 47-year-old patient was admitted to the treating hospital on January 6, after his health deteriorated. According to the family members, medical examinations were conducted on January 7, and consequently, the hospital authorities had allegedly informed them that the patient was out of danger.

However, later that night, the patient's condition worsened, and ultimately he died around midnight. The consumer complaint was filed alleging that medical negligence and lapses in the treatment provided by the hospital led to the untimely death of the patient.

Further, the family of the deceased also alleged that the treating hospital had failed to provide satisfactory explanations regarding the cause of the patient's death and the details about the treatment administered to him. 

They claimed that despite repeated requests, the complete treatment chart was not supplied, while they were handed a medical bill of Rs 1,10,309.

Following this, the deceased's father-in-law, advocate Krishna Kumar Mishra, along with his wife and their two minor sons, approached the District Consumer Commission seeking justice.

The Commission's verdict has been welcomed by the complainants' counsel, Murari Lal Kevat. He said that the decision brought justice to the bereaved family after a prolonged legal battle. He described the ruling as an important reminder of the accountability of healthcare institutions toward patients.

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