Atlanta Medical Malpractice Lawyers For Surgical Errors
Surgeons are regarded as some of the most highly skilled members of the medical profession. They carry the responsibility of performing their jobs flawlessly. In many cases, anything short of perfection can have a serious negative impact on the welfare of the patient.
If you or someone you love has suffered because of a surgeon’s error, our medical malpractice lawyers at Hilley & Frieder, P.C., have been fighting on behalf of clients in the greater Atlanta area who have been injured due to medical malpractice for over 35 years.
Types Of Surgical Errors That Lead To Medical Malpractice Claims
Surgical medical malpractice cases can be extremely complex. Hospitals and surgeons have high-priced lawyers who will argue that the surgeon followed best practices and that, in all likelihood, there was nothing that could have been done to avoid the error. However, our attorneys have helped clients successfully resolve all types of surgical error claims, including those involving:
- Performing unnecessary surgeries
- Botching surgeries, leading to infection or other injuries
- Leaving a medical instrument, such as a forceps or sponge, inside the patient
- Injuring a different organ or body part during surgery
- Performing surgery on the wrong body part
- Using incompatible or diseased tissue samples
- Performing surgery on the wrong patient
- Performing the incorrect type of surgery
- Making anesthesia mistakes, such as administering too much or too little anesthesia
- Performing intubation errors
- Making a surgical error that leads to wrongful death
No matter what type of surgical error injured or affected you in Atlanta, our lawyers will listen to your story and assess your case to determine whether you have the elements of a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Why Do Surgical Errors Occur?
According to researchers from Michigan State University and Kaweah Delta Medical Center, approximately 4,000 surgical errors occur each year in the United States. These errors result in severe complications and major injuries for many patients. These errors tend to come from issues before and after the surgical procedure, rather than during the surgery itself.
Some of the most common causes of surgical errors include the following:
- Rushed procedures and time pressure
- Miscommunication between medical staff members
- Lack of communication between the surgeon and the patient
- Use of dangerous or defective equipment
- Lack of rules or regulations
- Lack of adequate training
- Human error
- Fatigue
- Use of drugs and alcohol
- Lack of appropriate hygiene procedures
While an operating room can be a stressful place, it is the responsibility of all medical professionals involved in the procedure to ensure that a patient is receiving a reasonable standard of care. If a health care provider fails to provide this care and causes harm to the patient, then they have committed an act of medical malpractice.
How Common Are Surgical Mistakes?
No patient wants to believe that they can become the victim of a surgical error, yet thousands of these cases have come to light over the years. Medical errors are currently recognized as a major public health problem. While expert opinions on this statistic vary, a publication by Johns Hopkins Medicine in 2016 asserted that medical error was the third leading cause of death in the country.
After analyzing death data over an eight-year period, researchers at Johns Hopkins concluded that 10% of all U.S. deaths were due to medical mistakes. They found that an estimated 250,000 deaths were caused by medical errors each year. On the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Lead Causes of Death in 2020 list, this places medical errors at No. 3 (excluding deaths related to COVID-19).
It is difficult to find accurate data on surgical errors specifically. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, one study found an incident rate of just 1 in 112,000 surgical procedures – but this study only looked at procedures performed in operating rooms. Another study found that about half of serious surgical errors occurred outside of the operating room. This places the number of surgical errors much higher than the first study.
Are All Surgical Errors Considered Malpractice?
Not all surgical errors are considered medical malpractice in Georgia. For a patient to have grounds to file a medical malpractice lawsuit in the state, a surgical error must have involved the negligent or wrongful act of a health care professional. The surgeon or health care practitioner must have made a mistake that a prudent professional would not have made in the same or similar circumstances.
Common Complications Due To Surgical Errors
While all surgeries carry the risk of complications, injuries due to surgical error can have significant adverse effects on patients. Depending on the nature of the harm, a patient can suffer from any of the following complications due to surgical error:
- Permanent nerve damage: A surgeon may slice through a nerve while performing delicate surgery, leading to a loss of sensation or function.
- Brain damage: Anesthesia miscalculations, improper monitoring during a surgical procedure and other acts of malpractice can lead to a lack of oxygen to the brain during surgery. Prolonged oxygen deprivation can lead to permanent brain damage.
- Organ damage: A surgeon may accidentally lacerate your internal organs during surgery, leading to bleeding, punctures and even death.
- Amputations: A surgeon may perform surgery on the wrong body part, accidentally amputating a healthy limb.
- Infections: Improper cleaning procedures, nonsterile equipment and failure to wear personal protective equipment during a surgical procedure can result in the transmission of bacterial infections, such as Hepatitis B.
If you are suffering from injuries due to a surgical error in an Atlanta hospital, then you have the right to recover compensation for the losses you sustained. This compensation may include both economic and noneconomic damages, and, in some cases, punitive damages.
Why Choose Our Team For Your Surgical Error Claim
At the law firm of Hilley & Frieder, P.C., our reputable and experienced personal injury attorneys and medical malpractice lawyers have helped countless clients successfully resolve claims against some of the most recognized hospitals and health care organizations in Georgia. They are fearless in their advocacy for our clients, and they will not stop fighting until they are satisfied that the best possible compensation package is on the table. If a fair settlement can’t be negotiated, our team is fully prepared to take your case to court.
Schedule Your Free Initial Consultation Today
To discuss your case with an Atlanta medical malpractice attorney, contact us as soon as possible through our online form. You can also call us at 404-795-6099. Reach out today.
