If you are about to undergo a minor surgery and your doctor has given you the pre- and post-operative instructions, you might be surprised to see that you are not allowed to leave the hospital without arranging transportation. It is somewhat of a hassle to drive yourself to the hospital and then find out you cannot drive yourself home again. However, there are at least three main reasons why you are given this directive.
DUIs
If you have never met a DUI attorney under any circumstance, there is a high probability you would meet one after your surgery if you drive yourself home and get caught. Imagine coming out of anesthesia, getting into a car and then getting pulled over by a police officer for driving all over the road. You are technically "under the influence" and could be arrested for a DUI. It is a dangerous situation to both you and the other drivers on the road, regardless of which medications are in your system after you leave surgery. As such, you could be charged, and a DUI attorney would be the first face you see once the surgical drugs have left your system.
Accidents of All Kinds
Morphine, opioids given during and after surgery for pain management, and the foggy after-effects of general anesthesia have all been linked to car accidents. That means that leaving your minor surgery and getting into a car puts you at a much higher risk for an accident. That could put you (and others on the road) in the hospital. Worse still, if the accident is severe enough and you cannot tell the ER doctors that you were just at a hospital, they could overdose you with anesthesia or pain killers and kill you.
Lawsuits Against the Hospital
Finally, your exit from the hospital while still under the influence of the anesthesia and drugs could result in a lawsuit against the hospital. This is one of the biggest reasons why hospitals work so hard to encourage your safe passage home after your surgery, because allowing you to drive yourself could result in a lawsuit against them. It could be considered negligence in some cases, and the hospital does not want that anymore than they want you to be injured on your way home from a surgery. Protect yourself and everyone else who was trying to make you better, healthy, and safe by taking a taxi or calling a friend or family member, and avoid a DUI while you are at it.
If you were pulled over for a DUI, it is important to talk with a DUI attorney, such as those at Pollack & Ball LLC, about your options for fighting the charge.
Share
