Surgical Medical Malpractice
Of all the forms of medical malpractice, surgical malpractice is among the most tragic cases and frequently goes vastly underreported. Hundreds of thousands of people die yearly from medical malpractice, and countless others lose their lives because of unnecessary surgery. Medical mistakes are not held accountable by law as often as you may think because people may not realize that poor outcomes were actually preventable. And most people don’t want to imagine that their doctor or surgeon was the one who made a grave mistake.
If surgery was performed on the wrong part of the body, then it can be reasonably assumed that it was the surgeon who committed surgical malpractice. Surgical mistakes on the wrong body part, organ, or area should never happen; there is no excuse for it. Regardless of why surgery was done on the wrong site, victims should speak with the lawyer about filing a lawsuit for financial restitution.
Another example of surgical malpractice is a lack of informed consent. Every patient should be thoroughly briefed and understand the risks associated with the surgery or procedure, so they can make a decision that is in their best interest. This is why the conversations you have with a medical professional before surgery are so vital, as patients who are not fully aware of the risks are not able to make a choice that is authentic for themselves. A surgeon who was not clear about surgical risks may be liable for medical malpractice.
Doctors are not required to disclose that they made a mistake regarding their patient’s care. Often, a patient doesn’t even realize that their care was negligent. Sometimes, a doctor may admit that they made a mistake, whether it was a delayed diagnosis, incorrect diagnosis, wrong care plan, poor use of anesthesia, or something else.
Unfortunately, medical facilities may edit, hide, or destroy evidence that shows a doctor or surgeon had committed surgical malpractice. For this reason, victims are encouraged to get legal representation to have someone watching out for their best interest during this time.
As our medical malpractice lawyer associates from Ward & Ward Law Firm know, medical malpractice cases are serious, especially ones related to surgical errors. By understanding what medical malpractice is, patients can take action if they need to.
