In 1993, a seven-year-old child diagnosed with cancer received lifesaving chemotherapy via a central venous catheter. The treating doctor provided his services free of charge out of personal goodwill towards the family. Decades later, the patient survived but developed a heart valve condition requiring surgery.

Nearly eighteen years after the initial treatment, the patient filed a lawsuit alleging that a catheter-induced infection caused his heart disease. He sought compensation from the treating doctor and the hospital, arguing that they kept him in the dark about complications. The defence maintained that proper protocols were followed and that cancer itself raises long-term heart risks.

The Consumer Court held that treating a patient for free does not exempt a medical facility from legal oversight if it charges other patients. However, on the merits of negligence, the court found no causal link between the 1993 procedure and the heart issue that arose years later. Dismissing the complaint, the court affirmed that doctors cannot be held liable without clear medical evidence proving a breach of care.

MedLegal Safety Insights

Hospitals that provide free treatment to some patients are not shielded from Consumer Court jurisdiction if they also offer paid services. Only fully charitable and public hospitals fall outside the ambit of Consumer Courts.

Doctors and hospitals must maintain meticulous documentation and follow protocols even when treating acquaintances or providing pro bono services.

Patients should also understand that long-term medical complications can arise from underlying illnesses rather than from medical errors.

Source

Order pronounced by the Madhya Pradesh State Consumer Commission on 21st July 2026.

Source : Order pronounced by the Madhya Pradesh State Consumer Commission on 21st July 2026.