Dear Friends,
The Supreme Court of India has pronounced a landmark judgment on 24th October 2013 on the quantum of compensation to be awarded in cases of medical negligence. This case pertains to Dr.Kunal Saha, a doctor in US, whose wife died due to medical negligence due to medical negligence of the doctors and hospital at Kolkatta about 15 years back. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission had awarded Rs.1.34 crore which has been enhanced by the Supreme Court to Rs.6.08 crore.
The Supreme Court, in this 210 page judgment, referred to several earlier judgments of itself as well as of foreign courts and beautifully discussed the law of compensation in detail. The Court also advised the medical practitioners to be vigilant in future and to continuously update themselves with latest developments in medical field so that such incidents do not recur.
This judgment, I feel, will go a long way, in furthering the right to good health of the masses and will check the tendency on part of some medical practitioners to take their patients and their work lightly.
