An Australian man named Anil Koppula initiated a lawsuit against a hospital, the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne, alleging that the hospital’s failure to prevent him from witnessing his wife’s C-section resulted in psychiatric impairment due to the traumatic experience.
Koppula argued that the hospital owed him a duty of care to prevent him from witnessing the C-section procedure, even though he had voluntarily chosen to be present. In January 2018, he was granted access to the operating room during the procedure, where he witnessed the surgical process and his wife’s internal organs and blood.
Several years later, Koppula filed a lawsuit against the hospital, seeking AU$1 billion in damages for the psychological harm he claimed to have suffered as a result of witnessing the surgery. He also attributed the breakdown of his marriage to the mental condition he developed, which he alleged was caused by the hospital’s failure in its duty of care towards him.
In his legal claim, Koppula contended that he had been encouraged or allowed to observe the delivery and that the hospital had breached its duty of care, thus making it liable for damages.
In response, the Royal Women’s Hospital acknowledged that it did owe a duty of care to Koppula but argued that it had not breached this duty. The hospital explained that it typically permitted women to have their husbands or other family members accompany them during a C-section for emotional support. However, these relatives were advised not to interfere in the procedure and were informed about the specific details of the operation before choosing to witness it.
To assess the psychological impact of the C-section that Koppula had witnessed, he underwent a medical examination. The medical examination report indicated that the degree of psychiatric impairment resulting from the alleged injury did not meet the threshold level.
Despite Koppula’s rejection of the medical report, he did not apply for a review, prompting the Royal Women’s Hospital to request the Supreme Court of Victoria to dismiss the case, which it subsequently did.
This case underscores the importance of individuals evaluating their emotional and psychological readiness to witness medical procedures, such as C-sections, and assuming responsibility for their own well-being in such situations.