If you or a loved one have undergone surgery, you hope that everything goes well and the doctor declares the procedure a success. In some unfortunate cases, mistakes are made. Though mistakes happen in surgery, it does not automatically mean that you have a case for medical malpractice. In order for the law to consider the mistake medical malpractice, the surgery must have fallen below the acceptable medical standard of care and, in turn, caused you harm. Simply put, a surgical error may be a preventable mistake that occurs during surgery.
Though there is an inherent risk involved in all surgeries, surgical errors go far beyond the known risks. Some of the most common surgical errors that occur include:
- Nerve damage
- Administering too much or too little anesthesia
- Executing an incision in the wrong location
- Leaving surgical equipment inside a patient
- Operating on the wrong part of the body
- Giving the wrong medical treatment to the wrong patient
Surgical errors are serious problems. If you have been the victim of a surgical error, you need to consider the future burden of the mistake. Our firm can help you financially recover from this terrible mistake by holding the negligent party responsible. If you need an attorney to assess your case and guide you through your legal options, contact Cohn Lifland today.
Reasons For Surgical Errors
There are many reasons why a surgical error can occur. For one, a surgeon who has not performed the procedure very many times may lack the skill to perform the operation successfully. Surgical errors can occur from a lack of preoperative planning. It is important for a surgery to be well-prepared and when it is not, surgical errors can be the result. Sometimes, surgical errors occur when a surgeon takes shortcuts during a procedure. Poor communication has led to many surgical errors, including mistakes in the dosage of medication and even mismarking the point of incision.
Fatigue may be a culprit in surgical errors. Medical professionals often work long shift and procedures can last many hours. When a surgeon is tired, he or she could make mistakes that lead to surgical errors. Drugs and alcohol have also impacted surgeons and staff. The job of health care professionals can be stressful and some turn to substances in order to cope. This can lead to mistakes. Lastly, neglect can play a large role in mistakes occurring during surgery. Sometimes, a surgeon is just not careful enough, fails to ensure properly sterilized instruments, or uses defective surgical equipment. With so many factors that can lead to medical mistakes and surgical errors, discussing your case with an attorney is in your best interest.
Contact Cohn Lifland
Cohn Lifland passionately represents victims of surgical errors in medical malpractice cases. We understand that a surgical error can leave a lasting effect on your life. If you believe that you have a valid medical malpractice case, you should act to relieve yourself of future, unforeseen burdens. If you believe that a medical professional has acted below the medical standard of care, you should contact our firm today. We will review the case, guide you through your legal options, and effectively represent your interests.
If you need our legal services, contact Cohn Lifland online or call 201-845-9600 today. From our office in Saddle Brook, our lawyers help clients throughout northern New Jersey.