Paralysis injuries are typically associated with back and neck injuries. In those cases, traumatic injury to the spine cuts off the nerves’ signal, and victims face paralysis below the point of injury, leading to quadriplegia/tetraplegia or paraplegia. However, paralysis can also occur in other parts of the body. Significant nerve damage can sever the connection or cut off the nerve signal, causing paralysis in your hand, arm, foot, leg, or other body part. These injuries can occur in many ways, including through surgical mistakes and errors made in the operating room.
If you or a loved one suffers from paralysis because of surgical errors, contact The Queenan Law Firm today. Our Dallas attorneys for paralysis caused by surgery may be able to help you file a lawsuit and seek damages for the injuries you faced from medical malpractice. To schedule your free legal consultation with our attorneys, call (817) 476-1797.
Causes of Paralysis from Surgical Errors
Doctors are required to give you adequate medical care that conforms to the reasonable standards of care that other physicians would give in the same situation. When they fail to do so, you could leave the operating room with injuries that can be a serious detriment to your life, potentially including permanent disabilities. In many cases, nerve injuries leading to paralysis are caused by this kind of negligent medical care. Paralysis after surgical procedures can occur in many of the following ways because of surgical errors:
Positioning Injuries
Doctors position patients during surgery so that they are stable on the operating table and so that the doctor can see the area where the surgery is taking place. This sometimes means putting the patient on their side or stomach instead of on their back. For some surgeries, this may mean placing the patient in such a way that they will face awkward pressure on a joint or limb. This can be okay for a time, but since the patient is unconscious and unable to stretch or adjust, cramping or overextending their limb for a long time could cause problems with blood circulation, muscle cramps, and even damage to the nerves in the area. Severe enough nerve damage from these positioning injuries could actually cause paralysis.
Severed and Nicked Nerves
During surgery, the physician will use tools like scalpels and other sharp or hard metal objects to operate. If the doctor slips or makes a mistake while cutting the patient, they could potentially cut too deep or too far and cause damage to the nerves. Severing a nerve entirely can cause complete paralysis and loss of sensation in the area attached to the severed nerve, and slight cuts or nicks can also cause numbness, pain, and pins-and-needles sensations. This kind of mistake is more common and potentially more acceptable when operating on or near nerves, such as in back surgery. However, this kind of mistake is likely unacceptable in cases where the nerve is not near the surgical site.
Birth Injuries
Birth injuries are a common time for medical mistakes to occur and cause paralysis. During delivery, the child could be cramped and manipulated in awkward ways, potentially causing something similar to a positioning injury. One example of this is in brachial plexus injuries where the junction of nerves in the shoulder is damaged, leading to potentially permanent partial paralysis in the arm. Deliveries using forceps can also cause paralysis in the face through accidental damage to the facial nerve or cranial nerve when gripping the baby.
Other potential causes of paralysis and partial paralysis from surgery also exist. Talk to a lawyer if you think your doctor’s negligent medical care caused your paralysis or nerve damage.
Suing for Paralysis after Surgery in Texas
When you wake up from surgery to hear that there were complications or problems with the procedure, you may not know whether these problems were normal complications or more serious mistakes from your physician. Talking to a lawyer can help you understand whether or not you have a case and how your claim can proceed.
First, it is vital to analyze whether or not your doctor’s care fell below acceptable standards. Your attorney will typically consult a medical expert to analyze your case and testify on your behalf in court. This can help you understand how the doctor’s care fell below reasonable standards and can help demonstrate that mistake to a jury to help prove your case.
Second, your attorney will help you analyze the damages you faced in your case. Victims of medical malpractice often need additional medical care to help treat or reverse the injuries they suffered, which can be expensive and time-consuming. The cost of any procedures or treatment, including ongoing rehab, should be compensated in a medical malpractice lawsuit. If you missed work or the injury affects your ability to do your job, you can typically sue for lost wages as well. Lastly, independent damages for the pain and suffering you faced are common.
Lastly, a lawyer can help you understand the process of how your case can proceed and whether accepting a settlement is appropriate in your case. Many times, medical malpractice insurance providers will work to settle cases out of court rather than facing the expense of defending against the claim in court. In some cases, the settlement offer may be too low, but your lawyer can help protect you from low settlements.
Call Our Dallas Surgical Paralysis Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one faced partial or complete paralysis in any body part after undergoing surgery, you may be entitled to financial compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit. For help with your case, call The Queenan Law Firm to set up a free case consultation and learn more about how to hold your doctor accountable and get the compensation you deserve. For your free legal consultation, call The Queenan Law Firm’s Dallas paralysis from surgery lawyers at (817) 476-1797.