We expect a surgeon and medical team to be experienced and skilled enough to perform a surgery without surgical errors. While almost all surgeries pose the risk of anesthesia reactions, blood clots, infection, cardiovascular problems, and healing complications, every year thousands of surgical patients suffer injuries and death from surgical errors due to a surgeon’s negligence or wrongdoing.

What is a surgical error?

Surgical errors occur when a surgeon or medical team fails to exercise the degree of skill, care and prudence necessary to prevent a patient from suffering serious injury or death. When a medical professional fails to meet the expected standards for their profession, it is called medical malpractice. Surgical error, which is considered medical malpractice, can result in devastating personal injury. If you or a loved one has suffered injury due to a surgical error, please contact a qualified Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorney to learn more about your legal rights.

Causes of surgical errors

• Poor surgery planning: In many cases, surgical errors can be prevented if pre-operative planning and care is well executed. Surgeons should do a full evaluation of a patient’s health, drug and supplement use, medical background, and lifestyle choices. In addition, a surgeon and medical team must take the proper precautions to ensure the surgical area is safe, sterile, and organized prior to the procedure.
• Poor communication between staff: when doctors and other medical professionals fail to properly communicate about the procedure, the patient, and other pertinent matters, surgical errors can result.

• Negligence or incompetence during the surgical procedure, which can include:

  • Incorrect incisions
  • Use of unsterile surgical equipment
  • Puncture or damage to nearby organs or surrounding tissues
  • Nerve damage
  • Prolonged surgery
  • Surgical instruments or equipment left in a patient’s body
  • Failure to achieve the goal of the procedure

In some of the most shocking surgical error cases, the wrong surgery is performed, a wrong body part is operated on, or surgery is performed on the wrong patient. If you or a loved one has suffered injury due to surgical error, please contact a Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney for more information on your legal rights.

Surgical errors and your legal rights

By pursing a medical malpractice claim, you have the legal right to seek compensation for injuries caused by a negligent medical professional due to surgical error. Under a medical malpractice claim, a surgical error victim may be eligible to receive compensation for their losses including pain and suffering, lost income capacity, medical bills, serious injury, and death. It is important to know that medical malpractice lawsuits are subject to a statute of limitations, which limits the time you have to file a claim. Please contact us to protect your legal rights.

Are you a victim of a surgical error?

If you suspect that a surgical error has caused serious injury or death to you or a loved one, it is important to contact an experienced and qualified Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorney. The qualified attorneys at Eisenberg, Rothweiler et al. have a wealth of experience protecting those who have been injured due to medical malpractice. We can evaluate your case free of charge to determine the best way to protect your legal rights. Please contact us to speak with a Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorney near you.