Q: A patient undergoes angioplasty and suddenly the operating doctor comes out and informs the relatives that the patient's artery has been ruptured due to the breakage of the stent implanted and is immediately taken for an open heart surgery. After some time the patient dies. How do the relatives claim for compensation from the stent manufacturer or hospital or doctor?. I feel it should be claimed from the stent manufacturer. Please help.

A:Complications are an integral part of any intervention and may not be related to any fault on part of either the operator or the manufacturer of the equipment. In any case, from the brief history that you have presented, it is impossible to comment on the culpability of the stent manufacturer. I suggest you should talk to your cardiologist who performed the procedure and take his advice in the matter. In any case, if you decide to proceed for a litigation, the concerned cardiologist would be a very important player in the proceedings and therefore, it is both mandatory and desirable in your interest to take his view point in the matter.