If you or a loved one undergoes a surgery, you trust your surgeon to do everything they can to improve your health and protect your body. If instead a surgical mistake causes harm, you might have grounds for a malpractice lawsuit. A Pennsylvania surgical error lawyer can help you determine whether you have a case and represent you throughout the process if you do. Your medical malpractice attorney will make pursuing compensation less stressful for you while increasing your chances of success.
A bad outcome after surgery does not always entail medical malpractice. To sue a surgeon for a mistake, they need to have failed to provide the standard of care that another surgeon with similar training would have provided in a comparable setting. Common surgical errors that are considered malpractice include:
Some types of preventable errors are easier to prove as malpractice than others. For example, surgeons are generally expected to follow a checklist during procedures that would prevent leaving a sponge or instrument inside the patient. If a surgeon accidentally cuts an organ during an emergency surgery, proving malpractice is more difficult. In either case, a Pennsylvania attorney experienced with surgical error cases can help you prove to a court or insurance company that the standards and expectations for surgeons who perform these procedures were not met.
Compensation in a medical malpractice lawsuit falls into two general categories: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages cover specific financial losses. These can include:
Economic damages are calculated based on your specific expenses. If there are expected future expenses, your lawyer can also help calculate how much they might cost.
Non-economic damages are for intangible suffering and losses. These include physical pain, emotional distress, and trauma that make future medical care more difficult. Because these losses cannot be quantified, predicting how much you might be awarded is difficult.
Unlike some other states, Pennsylvania does not limit the amount of damages an injured person can receive in a medical malpractice lawsuit. If your case settles, it will be based on how much the surgeon offers and what you are willing to accept. If the case goes to trial, the jury will decide how much is awarded in damages. An experienced surgical mistake lawyer in Pennsylvania can give you a more specific idea of what to expect in non-economic damages.
Preventable surgical errors can lead to pain, ongoing medical complications, trauma, and extended periods away from work. If you think a surgeon may have committed malpractice, a Pennsylvania surgical error lawyer can assess your case and determine whether you have a strong argument for a lawsuit. If you do, let our skilled attorneys represent you throughout the process and increase your chances of getting the compensation you deserve. Schedule a consultation with The Weitz Firm to discuss your situation today.
We are highly selective in the cases we undertake to ensure that can give each client his full attention. You can schedule an appointment for a personal injury consultation at our Philadelphia office by calling us, or by filling out our online intake form.
