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NATIONAL CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION, NEW DELHI
R.K. Agrawal, President and Dr. S.M. Kantikar, Member
Dr. V.K. Dixit —Petitioner
versus
Sangeeta Dubey and Ors. —Respondents
Revision Petition No.1648 of 2015
(Against the Order dated 08/04/2015 in Appeal No.184/2013 of the State Commission Chhattisgarh)
Decided on 15.3.2022

Advocates:
Counsel for the Parties:
Appeared at the time of arguments
In RP/1648/2015
For the Petitioner: Dr. V.K. Dixit, in person
For the Respondent No.1:Mr. Sameer Shrivastava, Advocate
For the Respondent No.2:Mr. Varun Thakur, Advocate
For the Respondent No.3: Nemo
In RP/3121/2016
For the Petitioner:Mr. Varun Thakur, Advocate
For the Respondent No.1:Mr. Sameer Shrivastava, Advocate
For the Respondent No.2: Dr. V.K. Dixit, in person
For the Respondent No.3: Nemo

Headnote:

Consumer Protection Act, 1986 – S.21 [Consumer Protection Act, 2019 – S.58] – Services – Medical Negligence – Revision is filed against order of State Commission whereby the State Commission partly allowed the Appeal filed by the Complainant and modified the compensation to pay Rs. 75,000/- instead of Rs. 20,000/- for mental agony – Whether Medical Negligence can be attributed on the OP’s – It is evident from the record that though the Opposite Party No. 2 was a General Surgeon, he had sufficient urology work experience from reputed urology centers in India. In the instant case, he correctly diagnosed UVF and treated the urinary leak which was completely stopped. Even after the 2nd operation, the patient had no complaints of any leak for 6 months – The Boariflap reconstruction was performed which was a similar procedure as done by Opposite Party No. 2. Therefore, the treatment done by Dr. D was not faulty but it was as per reasonable standard of practice in Urology. It was an error of the State Commission, which held Opposite Party No. 2 liable because he was not an Urologist but a General surgeon and not qualified to perform ureteroneo-cystostomy – Thus, Opposite Party No. 2 treated the patient as per the reasonable standards and therefore medical negligence and deficiency in service cannot be attributed to the Opposite Party No. 2, Revision disposed off. [Paras 15, 16].

Result: Revision disposed off.

ORDER

Dr. S.M. Kantikar, Member.—The two Petitioners have filed the present Revision Petitions against the impugned order dated 08.04.2015 passed in Appeal No. FA/13/213 and FA/13/184 passed by the Chhattisgarh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Pandri, Raipur (hereinafter referred to as the “State Commission”).

2. For the convenience, the parties herein are referred to as per their original position in the Complaint i.e. Dr. Sunita Verma as the Opposite Party No. 1, Dr. V.K. Dikshit as the Opposite Party No. 2 and New India Insurance Co. Ltd. as the Opposite Party No. 3.

3. The brief facts of the case are that the Complainant Sangeeta Dubey (for short ‘the patient’) underwent hysterectomy operation in Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) at Bilaspur on 22.08.2005 and discharged on 31.08.2005. It was performed by Dr. Sunita Verma, the Opposite Party No. 1. The Complainant alleged that after the operation, the patient was passing urine from her vagina, but the patient was discharged without attention and told that it will be cured automatically. On 02.10.2005, the patient again came to the Opposite Party No. 1 with the Complaints of increased flow of urine. The Opposite Party No. 1 inserted a catheter and called her after one week. The Complainant noticed that the urine was not coming from the Catheter and therefore, approached the Opposite Party No. 1 on next day 03.10.2005, who examined her and found urinary examination bladder was damaged and suggested to consult another expert doctor, thereafter, she denied further treatment. The patient approached Dr. S. M. Dubey and then to Dr. D. R. Patle. Lastly, the Complainant contacted the Opposite Party No. 2, Dr. V. K. Dixit, who examined the patient and X-rays and advised 2nd operation. It was alleged that the Opposite Party No. 2 was not qualified Urologist, but he performed the 2nd operation “Ureteroneocystostomy”. Due to the negligent act, the Complainant incurred financial loss, physical and mental agony. Being aggrieved a complaint was filed before the District Consumer Forum, Bilaspur.

4. The District Forum held the Opposite Parties Nos. 1 and 2 liable for deficiency in service and medical negligence. It ordered to pay jointly and severally Rs. 1 lakh towards compensation and Rs. 75,000/- towards financial loss. It was also allowed Rs. 20,000/- for physical and mental agony and Rs. 3,000/- as a cost of litigation.

5. Being aggrieved, the Complainant filed Appeal No. FA/13/219 for enhancement of the compensation, whereas the Opposite Parties Nos. 1 & 2 filed Appeal No. FA/13/213 & FA/13/184 for setting aside the order of the District Forum.

6. The State Commission partly allowed the Appeal (FA/13/219) filed by the Complainant and modified the compensation to pay Rs. 75,000/- instead of Rs. 20,000/-for mental agony. The remaining part of the Order of the District Forum remained unaltered. The two Appeals filed by the doctors were dismissed.

7. Being aggrieved, both the Opposite Parties filed the instant two Revision Petitions.

8. We have heard the learned Counsel for the Parties. Perused the material on record interalia the Orders of both the fora.

9. There was huge delay of 484 days in filing the Revision Petition No. 3121 of 2016 by the Petitioner Dr. Sunita Verma. The reasons stated for the delay that the Opposite Party No. 1 wrongly approached the High Court to file Revision against the Order of the State Commission. Thus, the time was spent there. Therefore, to provide fair opportunity to the petitioner and to dispose the matter on merit, the delay is condoned.

10. On merit, the learned Counsel for Opposite Party No. 1 submitted that Dr. Sunita Verma was MD Gynec, and working in the Government Hospital and the services to all the patients were free. The operation was performed in CIMS and the Opposite Party No. 1 never charged any fees from the Complainant. Therefore, the Complaint was not maintainable against her. The Counsel relied upon the judgm

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Judicial Analysis

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