Surgery can be scary. Some of them are minimally invasive while others are much more complex, but all surgeries have risks. We know we can usually count on skilled surgeons and surgical staff to get us through the surgery. Most of the time, that is exactly what happens.
Unfortunately, there are times when mistakes are made during surgery can cause harm beyond the normal surgical risks.
If you or a loved one have received sub-standard care during a surgery and you believe it caused harm, you may need a Drexel Hill surgical malpractice attorney. The Weitz Firm, LLC will analyze your case and help you determine the best path forward.
It is now well known that medical mistakes account for more than 250,000 deaths annually in the United States, making these mistakes the third leading cause of death. How is it possible, in a country this advanced, that we are losing that many people to preventable errors?
Many of those mistakes happen during surgery. Surgical errors can be some of the most devastating to a patient. Most people think of surgical “never events” when they think of mistakes that can be made. These can include:
The consequences of these mistakes can be temporary injury (59 percent), permanent injury (33 percent), and death (6.6 percent).
These are the most reported surgical errors (they are required to be reported), and they happen all too often. In fact, it has been found that these mistakes happen more than 4,000 times a year in the US. Here is the thing – these are only the major, most scary errors that happen.
What we do not have solid numbers on is how many more “minor” errors occur. Often, those errors are just as deadly.
Around two-thirds of surgeons involved in a surgical mistake have been cited in more than one other malpractice report and 12.4 percent of surgeons are named in more than one “never event.”
Improving on pre-surgical planning (patient medical history, review of medications, etc.) can go a long way in reducing mistakes in surgery. During an operation, there should always be good communication and fail-safe procedures in place to ensure that the proper procedure is being performed.
We do need to note that it is imperative that surgeons should not operate while fatigued or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It seems like a no-brainer, but it does happen.
Seek legal assistance immediately if you believe that a mistake was made during your surgery. Surgeons and their staff have a duty to provide a high medical standard of care. If they do not and their sub-standard jeopardizes a patient, they should be held accountable. Surgical mistakes are scary. They can be both physically and emotionally damaging. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we want to help you get the compensation you deserve if you have been the victim of negligence. When you need a medical malpractice lawyer in Drexel Hill, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.
