There are times when you or a loved one may have to have surgery. We know how scary that can be. Anytime a procedure is performed that involves the human body, there are risks. Most of the time, a skilled surgeon, anesthesiologist, and a team of nurses ensures that everything goes smoothly.

Unfortunately, sometimes those medical professionals are careless and make mistakes. When that happens during surgery, the results can be devastating.

If you need a Philadelphia surgical malpractice attorney, you can count on The Weitz Firm, LLC to be by your side, working to ensure you are compensated for your injuries and your pain and suffering.

The Statistics

We know that many surgeries, like open heart bypass operations, are particularly dangerous. Sometimes surgeons are not able to fix people and it is not their fault. Other times, mistakes are made that should never have been made. More than 4,000 preventable mistakes occur in surgeries each year, costing hospitals and insurance companies major amounts of money in lawsuit payouts.

In fact, there is a term for some mistakes that can happen in surgery. They are called “never events” and like the names says, they are things that should never happen during a surgery. They include:

  • Operating on the wrong body part
  • Performing the wrong procedure
  • Leaving objects inside of a patient
  • Operating on the wrong patient

There are other errors that are not “never events.” We do not have an exact count on how often these occur because more minor surgical errors are not as reported on as major errors.

Almost two-thirds of surgeons involved in a surgical mistake have been cited in more than one other malpractice report and 12.4 percent are named in more than one “never event.”

Perhaps there needs to be a strengthening of regulations regarding reporting surgeons who make mistakes.

Researchers say that simple precautions like taking “time outs” in the operating room to make sure they have the correct patient and are performing the correct procedure can go a long way in cutting down on mistakes. Also, most places use surgical checklists to ensure that all of the equipment they use around and inside of the patient is recovered before the surgery is over.

It is important to note that anesthesiologists play a large part in having an effective surgery. They should be vigilant any time a patient is under anesthesia, always monitoring for signs of patient distress.

What Happens Now?

Do not wait to secure legal assistance if you have been harmed by a medical professional during surgery. Medical malpractice cases are complex and you need a skilled legal team by your side to work through all of the details. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we will provide you will a surgical malpractice attorney in Philadelphia who will work to secure the compensation you need so you can focus on healing, not your financial well-being. You can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.

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