The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality defines wrong-site, wrong-procedure, wrong-patient errors as “never events,” which means they should never occur under any circumstances. The fact that these surgical mistakes do occur—and frequently—indicates that there are serious issues in our healthcare system.
According to WebMD, doctors make more than 4,000 preventable errors during surgery annually. Some errors have minor repercussions, but others have devastating and even fatal consequences.
If you were injured or lost a family member due to a surgical mistake, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim. An Austin injury attorney from the Robson Law Firm will evaluate your case, gather evidence, and help you fight for the maximum compensation. Call 512-345-8200 today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Read on to learn about five common surgical mistakes that constitute medical malpractice:
- Anesthesia Errors
Many invasive surgeries begin with administering anesthesia. If the anesthesiologist makes a mistake, the consequences can be disabling or even deadly.
If you had an unanticipated reaction to the anesthesia, that may not necessarily constitute malpractice; however, if your doctor made a preventable error when administering the drug and you sustained serious injuries as a result, you could have a valid claim.
- Scalpel Errors
Human error remains a very real problem during surgery. If your surgeon is holding a scalpel, a slight tremor of the hand can cause nerve damage, a punctured lung, or a long list of other complications.
- Inventory Errors
If your surgical team fails to take inventory of all equipment used, it is entirely possible for them to leave a foreign object inside you. These errors can result in serious infections and typically require additional surgeries to remove the forgotten instrument.
- Procedural Errors
Hospitals are incredibly busy, and it is common for surgeons to perform multiple operations on any given day. A moment’s inattention or a minor oversight is all it takes to cause a critical procedural error. In some cases, misinformation and poor communication among healthcare providers can cause surgeons to perform the wrong procedure on a patient.
- Surgical Site Errors
Confirming the site of the surgery is just as important as confirming the correct procedure and patient. Sometimes, doctors operate on the wrong side of the body and disturb a perfectly vital organ when they should be focusing on the unhealthy one.
Surgical site errors can have devastating consequences, especially if they involve amputation or organ removal. Unfortunately, these mistakes are far more common than they should be.
If you or a member of your family was a victim of medical negligence, turn to the Robson Law Firm for legal guidance. An Austin personal injury lawyer will evaluate your case to determine if you have grounds for a claim.
Recovering compensation in a medical malpractice case is a legally complicated endeavor. An attorney from our firm will help you avoid costly mistakes and fight for the maximum payout.
Call 512-345-8200 to schedule a free initial consultation. Visit the USAttorneys website to learn more about medical malpractice in Texas.