A doctor gave me a perforated eardrum, surely I can send him the bill?

[ryansambas Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ryansambas]

I had to get my ears cleaned out due to a wax buildup. I went to a doctor last Saturday at a bulk billed (which means here in Australia, it's fully funded by medicare so I don't pay anything) medical centre near my work, anyway he tells me that I have to take Waxol eardrops for 3 days and then come back and I'll get my ears cleaned out. I return yesterday and see the next available doctor at the same medical centre who ended up saying 'Yes, we'll have to syringe those ears', and we go to the treatment room. Anyway, he proceeds to get the syringe ready and puts it into my right ear first (My left ear was completely blocked so much that I couldn't hear from it) so he shoots the water into my ear but something went ridiculously wrong and it just crashes and bangs my eardrum really loud and it was the worst pain I've felt in a long time, my ear starts bleeding and my hearing went away instantly. I couldn't hear much (since my left ear was blocked) until the left ear was syringed properly.


He said something like 'Oh, this shouldn't have happened, this never happens' but didn't apologise or try to rectify the situation. The nurse was useless in holding the pan to my ear and ended up spilling all the water over my shirt. All this doctor said was 'come back in a couple of days and I'll syringe your ear when it's healed'.

I see my actual doctor today who gives me medication to treat this and says it'll probably be 4-6 weeks until it is fully healed. To see him and the medication involved cost around $70 (would have been over $100 but I got a medicate rebate for some of the cost of seeing him).

Surely the medical centre/doctor I saw on tuesday are liable for these costs? Negligence because of faulty/untested equipment, not giving a duty of care to a patient etc.

[5.5Hapa Member Find all posts View Profile Close 5.5Hapa]

I am sure that he must be responsible. I am currently a senior in my undergrad studying to be a Speech Pathologist. Many of my courses are based around audiology at the moment and if you have a perforated tympanic membrane then that could lead to other problems...It may not heal correctly thus causing your ear drum to become thicker, which is called tympanosclerosis. It is caused by scarring or inflammation to the ear drum. Not something you want to just "wait" to see what happens. Take action!