According to a recent study, surgery is the second most common cause for medical malpractice claims against doctors. Surgical errors account for 25% of malpractice claims, with 78% involving practitioner performance during surgery. Undergoing is a surgical procedure is a stressful and vulnerable time for a patient. Negligence by any member of the medical team can result in the patient suffering injury or even death.
Bobby Jones is an experienced Greenville, SC medical malpractice lawyer that represents victims of surgical errors. Our compassionate and dedicated attorneys and legal staff have the experience and resources that you need to help you recover the compensation that you and your loved ones deserve.
Common Types of Surgical Errors
There are many things that can go wrong during a surgical procedure. The following are some of the more common types of surgical errors:
- Performing surgery on the wrong patient. Believe it or not this does occur. When a patient is misidentified and a surgical procedure that they do not need is performed, serious and potentially deadly complications can arise.
- Performing the procedure in the wrong location. In this instance, the procedure may be correctly performed but is mistakenly performed on the wrong part of the body. For example, a patient is scheduled for surgery on his right shoulder, but the procedure is performed on the left.
- Unsanitary conditions. If the surgical team fails to sanitize the surgical instruments, the skin, or the operating room, this can lead to a serious infection.
- Leaving a foreign object inside of the patient. Occasionally a physician will close a wound with a foreign object such as a surgical instrument or bandage inside of the patient. This can produce a severe and potentially deadly infection.
- Nerve damage. Nerve damage occurs fairly often. When operating on a part of the body the surgeon impacts or damages a nerve resulting in permanent damage such as numbness or chronic pain.
- Organ or tissue damage. When operating on the patient the surgeon may accidentally puncture a nearby organ or tissue. Again, this can result in serious and potentially deadly complications.
Discuss your Case with an Experienced Greenville, SC Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Cases involving surgical error are unfortunately all too common. Yet they vary significantly in degree and are not always clear cut. To recover damages for a surgical error, a victim must prove that the physician, staff, and/or hospital were negligent. This means that they failed to provide the patient with a reasonable standard of care which resulted in the patient’s injury.
While it will be easier to prove negligence in a case involving surgery that was performed on the wrong patient or body part, other cases are more challenging. For example, arguing that a physician should have performed a procedure different from the one that he or she did, involves a factual dispute that will likely require extensive expert testimony. And then there is the matter of establishing the extent of your damages to maximize your recovery.
As an experienced Greenville, SC medical malpractice lawyer, Bobby Jones has a proven-track record of advocating on behalf of patients that have been victims of surgical negligence. Bobby Jones Law has the resources and expertise that you need to recover the compensation that you deserve.
Bobby Jones Law serves clients throughout South Carolina with offices conveniently located in Greenville. Please contact us today for a FREE consultation.
