Patient died in the ICU, but the bills kept him alive for four more days – Hospital held liable
Issue -
March - 2026, Posted On: 01 March 2026
A critically injured patient was shifted to a super-specialty hospital after a road accident and placed under intensive neuro-care. Over the next few days, the treating team continued ventilatory support and ICU management, repeatedly informing the family that the patient remained critical but alive. Treatment charges continued to be raised and collected during this period.
The controversy arose after the patient was formally declared dead and the body sent for post-mortem. The post-mortem report recorded findings suggesting that death had occurred much earlier than the time disclosed by the hospital. Indicators such as advanced post-mortem changes and absence of rigor mortis were inconsistent with the hospital’s claim that death occurred only shortly before examination.