Although it might seem like an extremely unlikely occurrence, surgeons and other medical professionals operating on the wrong area of a patient’s body is actually one of the most common forms of medical malpractice in America. Despite how procedurally simple it is to verify where an operation should take place and what needs to be done during the procedure, far too many healthcare providers fail to perform this basic due diligence, causing their patients to suffer eminently avoidable and potentially life-altering harm.
If you fell victim to wrong site surgery malpractice in Washington, DC, you likely have very strong grounds for filing suit against the people and/or providers responsible for your unfortunate medical outcome. A knowledgeable surgical malpractice lawyer could review your unique situation with you during a private consultation and offer guidance about how to best pursue the compensation you deserve.
Among the various responsibilities that surgeons have, one of the most basic is confirming that they know what procedure they are meant to be performing on each particular patient and which body part that procedure should be performed on. There are various tried-and-true methods for minimizing the risk of this basic error, from surgeons seeking multiple verbal and written confirmations that they are operating on the right area to literally writing their initials on a patient’s body where an operation is meant to proceed.
However, a single omission or a combination of small mistakes during preparation for surgery could lead to a medical professional operating on the wrong knee, removing a healthy organ, or even amputating the wrong limb. While specific breaches of procedure can vary from case to case, common causes of wrong site surgery malpractice in Washington, DC include:
A knowledgeable medical malpractice attorney could play a crucial role in identifying exactly how a wrong site surgery occurred and which individuals and/or entities bear legally actionable fault for it.
Unfortunately, it is not always possible for financial restitution alone to make up for the harm that wrong site surgery malpractice can cause a patient in Washington, DC, especially if a doctor’s mistake results in an inappropriate amputation or some other permanent loss of functionality. That being said, comprehensive compensation can be key to ensuring a patient impacted by this form of medical negligence has the best chances possible of maintaining a healthy and happy life following this unfortunate incident.
With that in mind, recoverable damages in this type of claim may include not only additional medical expenses and other out-of-pocket costs, but also the subjective impacts of physical pain, emotional trauma, lost enjoyment of life, and lost consortium. Qualified legal counsel could provide further clarity about a particular patient’s recoverable losses during a confidential consultation.
A surgeon who operates on the wrong part of their patient’s body runs the risk of causing that patient irreversible harm, and often because they failed to follow basic verification procedures that are standard for responsible medical professionals. Fortunately, if you sustained preventable damages in a scenario like this, you could potentially hold that negligent surgeon and/or their employer financially accountable for each and every one of your losses.
Having representation from a knowledgeable legal professional can be essential to achieving a positive case resolution after wrong site surgery malpractice in Washington, DC. Call today to schedule a meeting.
