Two hospitals fined Rs55 lakh as dentist suffers facial paralysis

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 14

The Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Mediways Hospital and Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Ludhiana, to pay a compensation of Rs 55 lakh, along with 9 per cent interest from January 15, 2015, to a dentist whose face was partially paralysed after a surgery.

The dentist, Dr Kanwalpreet Kaur, cannot shut her eyes or smile. A biopsy report from the DMCH termed it a case of malignant melanoma, which is an aggressive and dangerous skin cancer.

Commission president Justice Paramjeet Dhaliwal (retd) and member Kiran Sibal ordered Mediways Hospital, DMCH and United India Insurance Company Ltd to jointly pay Rs 45 lakh to Dr Kanwalpreet on the account of expenses incurred during her treatment. The amount has to be paid at 9 per cent interest from the date of complaint (January 15, 2015) till the date of payment.

The commission has also ordered the DMCH and its three doctors along with the insurance company to pay Rs 10 lakh to the patient with 9 per cent interest from January 16, 2015, till the date of actual payment. The patient will also receive Rs 55,000 as litigation cost.

In 2013, Dr Kanwalpreet developed a small growth on her face and she got her biopsy done from the DMCH. The report said it was a case of malignant growth. Later, she was operated at Mediways, following which the patient lost sensation in the face. Her visual nerve too was damaged.

The DMCH doctors said the complainant was guilty of concealing facts, including the reports of the PGIMER, Chandigarh. Meanwhile, he Mediways Hospital had maintained that the dentist was successfully operated.