The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has held that while a West Bengal doctor was not medically negligent in diagnosing or treating a patient with suspected Tinea corporis, the treatment failed to provide meaningful improvement over nearly three months. As a result, the Commission reduced the State Commission’s earlier compensation of Rs. 10 lakh and directed payment of Rs. 2.5 lakh for the deficit in therapeutic benefit rather than for any proven negligence.
The Patient and Her Ailment The patient first sought care in early January 2019 for widespread rashes. The doctor’s handwritten prescription recorded a suspected diagnosis of Tinea corporis (ringworm), a superficial fungal infection. Her IgE levels were significantly elevated, prompting further testing and follow-up visits. Treatment Provided and Its Impact Initial treatment involved antifungal medication…
