A surgical procedure is not an event that should be taken lightly. The surgeons in charge of a patient’s surgery should take every precaution to ensure that the patient receives adequate care. Unfortunately, some patients can exit a surgical procedure with severe or life-threatening injuries that occurred due to negligence. If you or a family member was injured during a surgical procedure, contact an experienced Dallas surgical error attorney today.
At The Queenan Law Firm P.C., we are dedicated to helping you seek the compensation you deserve for a traumatic injury that changed your life. You should not have to live with a severe injury due to the negligence of a surgeon you trusted. To schedule a free case evaluation, contact The Queenan Law Firm at (817) 476-1797, or contact us online.
Common Surgical Error Injuries
Thousands of avoidable surgical errors occur every year within the United States. These mistakes can cause a patient to suffer long-term or even fatal injuries. For example, if a surgeon fails to properly clean surgical instruments, a patient could develop an infection after the surgery. As there are typically several side effects to even a successful surgery, it is unacceptable for a surgeon to cause additional issues for a patient that were preventable.
The following is a list of common surgical errors that can result in an injury or death.
Leaving Instruments Inside a Patient
When performing an invasive surgery, it is essential that the surgeon keep accurate records of every instrument that was used to operate on a patient. If a surgeon fails to keep track of surgical instruments during a surgery, they could easily leave a foreign object inside a patient’s body.
The lack of a checklist has often led to patients having gauze, sponges, clamps, or even scalpels left inside their body. In some cases, this may result in a patient experiencing severe pain; under other circumstances, the patient may develop a fatal infection.
Surgery on the Wrong Patient
Every hospital should have thorough protocols to properly identify a patient prior to surgery. Unfortunately, a miscommunication between hospital staff or a poor verification process could create a scenario where the wrong patient is hailed into surgery.
Performing surgery on the wrong patient could mean that a patient loses vital organs that they need to function properly. If a patient undergoes the incorrect surgery, the surgeon and the hospital that employed the surgeon could be held liable for their actions.
Surgery on the Wrong Side
Wrong side surgeries occur when a surgeon fails to operate on the appropriate body part of the patient. For example, if a patient needs to have a failing kidney removed, and the surgeon removes the healthy kidney, this could cause severe issues for the patient.
Wrong side surgeries occur more frequently than you might believe. These surgical errors can result in a person having the incorrect arm or leg amputated and being forced to live without that piece of themselves due to extreme negligence.
Incorrect Administration of Anesthesia
Anesthesia can be administered in a number of ways depending on the type of surgery a patient is undergoing. If an anesthesiologist fails to administer this drug correctly, a patient can be placed in great danger. For example, failing to give a patient a sufficient amount of anesthesia could result in the patient waking up in paid mid-surgery. Under other circumstances, a patient could receive too much anesthesia and experience deprivation of oxygen, leading to brain damage or death.
There are various other surgical errors that a patient could endure. To learn more about filing a lawsuit for a surgical error, you should continue reading and speak with an experienced Dallas medical malpractice lawyer.
When to File a Surgery Medical Malpractice or Wrongful Death Lawsuit
If you believe that your surgeon caused you to suffer a serious injury or caused the death of your loved one, you should consider filing a lawsuit. Every civil lawsuit is subject to the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations determines the amount of time that a plaintiff has to file a case.
In Texas, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice lawsuits is two years from the date of the medical negligence. This means that if a plaintiff fails to file their case within two years, the court may bar their claim, leaving the plaintiff without the opportunity to pursue compensation.
The statute of limitations for wrongful death cases is also two years from the date of the victim’s death. It is important to note that there may be some exceptions to these rules that could allow a plaintiff to extend their filing deadline. You should speak to an experienced attorney to determine whether your potential case qualifies.
Contact an Experienced Dallas Surgical Error Lawyer You Can Trust
If your family member was the victim of medical malpractice and suffered a fatal injury, you should consult with an experienced Dallas wrongful death lawyer today. The legal team at The Queenan Law Firm possesses a wealth of experience litigating a wide range of medical malpractice claims, and we are ready to use this knowledge to represent you. To schedule a free legal consultation, contact The Queenan Law Firm at (817) 476-1797.