When searching for a health care professional, you always want to find a qualified, reliable practitioner to trust with your health. Should you need surgery to improve your medical condition, you want to be under the best care. However, even the most experienced and well-known surgeons can make mistakes in the operating room. Many of the mishaps that can occur during surgery are preventable and result from simple human errors by either the surgeon or the staff. Any mistakes in an operating room that result in injuries can directly affect you and result in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Some of the most common mistakes made when undergoing surgery are as follows:
• Surgery on the wrong body part or patient
• Performing the wrong procedure
• Leaving foreign objects inside the body, such as surgical instruments.
Surgery on the wrong area of the body or the wrong patient
As reported by Newsweek, a woman in South Carolina had a spinal surgery performed on the wrong area of her back to correct the pain she had been experiencing long-term. As a result, she needed a second surgery on the right area to correct the mistake and was left with more severe pain. This operation led to a malpractice lawsuit. Unfortunately, surgeons can also operate on the wrong patient and not realize their mistakes until they perform the procedure or finish the operation.
Forgetting foreign objects left in a patient
According to an article published by CNN in the United States, about a dozen surgical instruments and sponges are left inside patients every day. CNN estimates that these mishaps have led to around 4,500 to 6,000 medical malpractice cases per year. In addition, CNN reported that of the items left inside surgical patients, 70 percent appear to be sponges, and the remaining 30 percent are other surgical instruments. However, there is no requirement for a surgeon or hospital staff to report forgotten items as claimed by the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Without a need to report the possible human error, there is no exact way of knowing whether or not any foreign objects have been left in a patient post-surgery until the patient begins to show symptoms of complications.
If you have been a victim of medical malpractice, here is what to do next:
Human error can occur in any profession, but when you become the victim, you are entitled to seek justice for any errors that have happened to your body. Speak with an experienced attorney at Ogle Law Firm to consult on your case. Attorneys William Ogle has been handling challenging cases in medical malpractice over the past 30 years.
At Ogle Law Firm in Daytona Beach, we can help you determine if you have a medical malpractice claim. You may be entitled to lost wages, living expenses, rehabilitation, transport expenses, loss of future wages, and current or future medical bills. Please contact us via phone at (386) 287-0234 or by filling out the contact form on our website.