Surgical physicians and their operating staff members are one group of the most highly qualified and trained medical professionals in the US today. However, when they don’t provide patients with the proper care they deserve of make surgical errors, they could be liable for a medical malpractice suit. When situations such as these arise, it’s very important that you retain the legal services of a medical malpractice lawyer.
When are Surgical Errors considered to be Medical Malpractice?
Every surgeon is expected to provide the type of care that reflects their advanced education and experience. However, they aren’t immune to making surgical errors such as the following:
• Foreign objects left in the patient’s body can occur if a surgeon accidentally leaves a dressing, scalpel, sponge, or other item inside a patient that is being operating on.
• Infection can result if unsanitary medical equipment is used during a patient’s surgical procedure.
• Organ or nerve damage can result when a surgeon may nick a nerve or organ.
• Unnecessary surgical procedures are performed when one patient’s medical records get confused with another’s.
• Wrong site surgery occurs when a surgeon operates on the wrong part of the body.
Not all surgical errors are egregious enough to be considered medical malpractice. The error must fall below the acceptable standard of care and causes injury to the patient.
5 Causes of Surgical Errors
As per Personal Injury Lawyer in Fort Erie, there are a number of reasons why surgical errors can occur. However, the 5 most common causes include:
• Alcohol or drug use – if a surgeon or one of the staff members has an alcohol or drug dependency issue, it can negatively impact the level of care they provide.
• Fatigue – surgical errors can occur when surgeons and//or staff members are suffering from a lack of proper rest and have multiple procedures to perform the same day.
• Insufficient planning prior to the surgical procedure – mistakes often happen when a surgeon doesn’t consider the possible complications, fails to sterilize their operating equipment, or hasn’t properly prepared for the procedure.
• Poor communication – the lack of communication between the surgical staff and other healthcare professionals to learn about allergies to medications, possible complications, or other issues is also a form of medical malpractice.
• Unqualified treatment – occurs when the health care professional lacks the proper skills and training, to competently complete the surgical procedure.
If you believe you may have a medical malpractice claim or have lost a loved one due to a surgical error, call the Barapp Law firm today at (888) 226-4264. We offer a FREE 30-minutes initial consultation herein one of our expert lawyers will discuss your case.