Virginia Cosmetic Surgery Malpractice Lawyer

Many men and women in Virginia and across the nation turn to cosmetic surgery to fix physical deformities or to make themselves more visually appealing. Although these procedures are always elective and rarely medically necessary, the doctors and surgeons who perform them are held to the same standard of care as all other practitioners.

This means that if a surgery is botched on the operating table or gives rise to health complications in the future, that doctor may have committed medical malpractice. Medical malpractice claims are the principle way for patients to hold negligent doctors and hospitals legally responsible for their injuries.

A Virginia cosmetic surgery malpractice layer could help individuals who have suffered complications following cosmetic surgery. An experienced medical malpractice attorney will work to explain the relevant law to a claimant, to evaluate the strength of their claims, and to consult with medical experts to prepare cases for court.

Types of Cosmetic Surgery and the Potential Complications

The types of cosmetic surgery available in Virginia has multiplied over the past few decades. A cosmetic procedure is any procedure that is used to improve the physical appearance of the patient. This can be something as simple as Botox injections to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, to laser therapy used to reduce varicose veins, to implant of breasts, buttocks, or muscles.

It is important to remember that regardless of the exact type of procedure, doctor error can always result in severe complications. This can range in seriousness from the need to reperform the procedure, to infection, to organ damage. If this damage was caused by doctor error, that doctor may have been negligent. A lawsuit that alleges personal injury caused by doctor error is known as a medical malpractice lawsuit.

A cosmetic surgery malpractice lawyer in Virginia could help people who have been injured by poor care during a cosmetic procedure to hold negligent doctors responsible for their actions.

Virginia Laws Concerning Medical Malpractice

Virginia law requires all medical professionals to perform their jobs with a certain level of care and competence. Code of Virginia §8.01-581.20 states that all practitioners must meet a “…degree of skill and diligence practiced by a reasonably prudent practitioner in the field of practice of specialty.” In simple terms, this means that a doctor must act as a doctor of normal skill would do under similar circumstances.

To prove that the doctor’s care fell below this standard, all plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases must rely upon the testimony of an expert witness. This witness will testify both as to how the botched procedure negatively affected the plaintiff’s health and as to how the defendant doctor’s actions caused this injury.

No matter how serious the injury, plaintiffs must be sure to follow Virginia’s statute of limitations. This is a law that controls when a plaintiff may file a case in court. According to Code of Virginia §8.01-243, plaintiffs have only two years from the date of the injury to file their cases in court.

A Virginia cosmetic surgery malpractice lawyer could work with clients to hire expert witnesses and to ensure that their cases are pursued within the statute of limitations.

Let a Virginia Cosmetic Surgery Malpractice Attorney Assist You

Even though cosmetic surgery procedures are typically entirely elective and not medically necessary, this does not mean that the doctors that perform these procedures are not liable when they make a mistake.

If a patient suffers side effects or complications following a cosmetic surgery procedure, they have the same right as all other patients to file a medical malpractice claim.

A Virginia cosmetic surgery malpractice lawyer could lead the way. They work to research the applicable laws, to interface them with the specific facts in every client’s case, and to work with established medical experts to prove doctor negligence in court. There is a limited time to file a claim so do not delay; contact an attorney today to discuss your case.