Hospital told to pay Rs12 lakh

Mohali, January 8

The Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed IVY Hospital, Amritsar, to pay a compensation of Rs12 lakh to a resident of Amritsar for causing death of his father due to negligence.

The President of the commission, Justice Paramjeet Singh Dhaliwal, while dismissing the appeals of the IVY Hospital and Dr Varun Mohan, opposite party no. 1 and 2, respectively, and partially allowing the appeal of the complainant, Harpreet Singh, awarded the compensation of Rs12 lakh instead of Rs3 lakh as awarded by District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

Justice Dhaliwal further ordered that the remaining part of the order of the District Commission with regard to refund of Rs24,500 as expenses for treatment along with Rs25,000 as the cost of litigation will remain the same.

Advocate Updip Singh, counsel for Harpreet Singh, stated that Gurdeep Singh was taken to the hospital on July 12, 2016, at about 10 am after he complained of severe chest pain since morning. He said the patient was received in the emergency by Dr Tanika and the ECG report was sent to Dr Varun Mohan on his cellphone, who advised the treatment and the same was started immediately, but the patient did not survive. There was no competent cardiologist present at that point of time when the patient had a sudden onset of breathlessness and he went into flash pulmonary oedema. —TNS