Legal Representation for Victims of Surgical Errors
The number of deaths and injuries due to medical mistakes in the U.S. every year is saddening. There are nearly 100,000 deaths every year due to medical errors in U.S. hospitals. Of all medical mistakes, surgical errors are usually the most serious type.
Surgical mistakes happen to more people than we would like to think. A surgical procedure with errors can end with catastrophic consequences. The patients in New York City medical centers are informed about the risks of potential surgeries. They go for surgery as they expect their doctors to be competent and capable of performing the surgery without any error.
The most typical type of surgical error is wrong site operation, where surgery is performed on the wrong part of the body. Other types of surgical mistakes are performing the wrong procedure on the right body part or operating on the wrong patient.
Unnecessary surgery is also a controversial issue. Studies have found that up to 30% of surgeries could be unnecessary. Cosmetic or plastic surgery is another area where surgical mistakes occur. These errors may cause results that are worse than what the surgery was intended to correct.
Surgery is a sensitive subject and it is extremely tragic when the outcome of a surgery is not what it was supposed to be. When any medical professionals violate any standards of care, it is innocent people who get hurt. For medical malpractice, the medical professionals should be held accountable. At Frekhtman & Associates, we work hard to help the victims of surgical errors. We make sure that any medical professional who fails to perform surgery with the required degree of medical care should be held liable for their actions.
Statistics about Surgical Errors
A study by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2008 revealed that about 10 percent of individuals who die within 90 days of their surgery were victims of medical errors. From routine knee replacements to high risk surgeries such as cesarean sections and complicated brain surgery, surgical errors can happen in all kinds of operations. However, there are a few procedures that have extra high surgical error risk:
- Heart surgery
- Gastric bypass surgery
- Chest surgery
- Various cosmetic surgeries such as breast implants, nose surgery, liposuction, and facelifts
- Lasik surgery
Injuries from these surgeries can result in paralysis, extreme organ damage, permanent infections and even death.
Causes of Surgical Errors
It is poor preoperative care and planning that often results in surgical errors. To prevent surgical errors, medical professionals need to evaluate the medical history, current health, medical family history and use of medication in depth. Medical professionals also have to evaluate whether the procedure is right for the patients and is in their best interest.
Errors that can happen during surgeries are:
- Unsterile equipment
- Puncture or perforation on the adjoining organs
- Incorrect application of anaesthesia
- Wrong incisions
- Nerve damage
- Accidentally leaving sponges or surgical instruments in the body cavity
Post surgical errors include:
- Septic shock
- Post-operative infections
- Extreme delays in healing
If you or your loved one has ever been victim of a surgical error, our expert attorneys make sure that you don’t go through it alone. The cost of medical bills and long term care is vast and with loss of income, it can affect your whole life. Your family may also end up inheriting the financial loss.
Consequences of surgical errors
Surgical errors are devastating. Some devastating consequences of surgical errors are:
- Lingering infections
- Loss of a limb
- Brain damage
- Death
The attorneys at Frekhtman & Associates know how devastating a surgical malpractice error can be. Losing a parent, spouse, child or a loved one to medical malpractice is painful. As expert personal injury lawyers, we can help you get the compensation you deserve. To book your free consultation about your possible surgical error, call us at 866-ATTY-LAW. We work on contingency basis, so you pay us nothing unless we win your case.
