Advising with empathy and experience

Anaesthetic Awareness

Waking up during surgery despite receiving a general anaesthetic can be a very traumatic experience.  This can occur due to inadequate or negligent administration of anaesthesia, malfunctioning equipment or lack of vigilance on behalf of the anaesthetic team.

As well as physical pain, such an experience can give rise to a significant psychological injury.  The memory of your surgery and the experience of waking in an operating theatre may cause you to develop post-traumatic stress disorder.  The impact on your life can be significant and you may need access to specialist mental health services which are often difficult to receive in good time through the NHS.

Where negligence can be proven, a personal injury claim is a way for you to obtain financial compensation and support to help you to try to recover from your injuries.  The CNCI team can assist you with making a claim against the treatment provider and help you to obtain the support you need.