Surgical Error Lawyer

We place our trust in surgeons and doctors to meet a high standard of care and to help us heal from injuries and sickness — not be the cause of them. Even the most highly qualified surgeons know that every surgical procedure is a potentially dangerous and invasive process, and every time someone must undergo surgery they are at risk for certain known complications no matter how great their medical care is.

To help protect doctors and hospitals against frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits, patients who undergo medical procedures are usually required to sign a waiver form acknowledging that they understand the risks and potential problems and outcomes of the procedure. This is known as “informed consent” — a patient formally acknowledges that they were informed of the potential dangers and consented to have the procedure done anyhow.

Suffering from medical negligence is not a risk you should have to take and when you signed the waiver form the risks you were told about were unavoidable risks and medical complications — not because of mistakes made through a medical professional’s carelessness or negligence.

 

 

Examples of Surgical Errors That Could Be Medical Malpractice

Human error by surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and other medical staff who make mistakes can result in life-threatening post-operative infections, conditions that did not exist prior to the surgery, damage to internal organs, and even death. There is a difference between a known expected risk and a negligent act that causes harm, however, it takes an experienced medical malpractice lawyer to show that important distinction to a jury.

Surgical errors most commonly occur in cardiothoracic and thoracic surgery (surgical procedures on organs in the chest, including the heart, lungs, chest wall, and diaphragm) or during laparoscopic surgery (minimally invasive surgery performed through small incisions in the abdomen and pelvis). Errors also commonly occur during cosmetic surgery, and have been reported from face-lifts, nasal surgery, breast augmentation, and liposuction.

Common surgical errors include:

• Poor pre-operative treatment or planning, resulting in surgery on a patient not ready or not in proper condition to undergo the procedure.
• Use of unsanitary surgical utensils, or operating facilities that can lead to post-operative infections and medical complications.
• Incorrect incision, which may cause foreign fluids such as bile or urine to enter the abdominal cavity. This can easily cause infection, septic shock, and death.
• Wrong site, side, or organ surgery, which can occur simply due to miscommunication or failure to follow instructions. Cases include amputation of the wrong arm or leg, etc.
• Delayed or prolonged surgery, resulting from negligence and incompetence on part of the surgeon, surgical team, or hospital staff.
• Organ puncture or perforation, causing damage to the patient and medical conditions that they did not have to suffer through prior to surgery.

 

Call For Your Free Initial Consultation With An Experienced Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyer

Establishing liability for surgical errors can be a difficult and complicated process because the surgeon, staff, and hospital itself may all bear some responsibility for the mistakes made. Our attorneys are experienced trial lawyers that understand how to investigate and prepare medical malpractice cases and we encourage you to browse our Client Testimonials and Sample Verdicts and Settlements to learn more about us and some of the families we have helped.

To schedule your free initial legal consultation to learn more about us, your rights, and the value of your case, please call 310-322-0300 (Toll Free: 877-664-5407) or email us confidentially.