There is no such thing as a "routine" surgery, and every surgical procedure is accompanied by inherent risks. Yet patients have a right to reasonably expect that their surgeon will perform his or her duties properly and maintain the appropriate standard of care. Surgical errors that are caused by a medical professional's negligence should not be the cause of complications. In fact, thousands of preventable surgical errors occur every year, leading to serious medical complications and even death.

Like other types of medical malpractice, surgical errors can result in long-term or fatal injuries, leaving individuals and families with extensive medical bills and other expenses. Our Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys at Golomb & Honik, P.C. represent victims of surgical errors and other forms of medical negligence as they pursue the financial compensation and justice to which they are entitled.

Ready to move forward with your surgical error case? Request a free evaluation when you call (215) 278-4449.

Common Surgical Errors

Mistakes can occur in any surgical procedure, from pacemaker placement to plastic surgery. Common surgical errors in medical malpractice cases include but are not limited to:

• Anesthesia errors
• Damage to adjacent organs, nerves, blood vessels, muscles, etc.
• Catheter errors
• Failure to detect and respond to surgical complications
• Failure to monitor vital signs
• Failure to prevent or properly treat an infection
• Failure to properly place a medical device
• Foreign objects left in surgical site
• Failure to properly sterilize surgical site or equipment
• Inattention to lab reports or patient history
• Surgery performed on the wrong site
• Wrong surgical procedure performed

Surgical Errors & Medical Malpractice

While surgical errors are a frequent focus of medical malpractice lawsuits, a poor surgical outcome alone does not establish medical negligence. To demonstrate that a surgeon, anesthesiologist, or other medical professional was negligent in committing a surgical error, it must be proven that the medical professional deviated from or failed to apply an accepted standard of care, and that your injuries were the direct result of their mistake.

This generally requires consulting with other surgeons or medical experts in a related field, who can determine whether accepted standards of practice were followed and whether or not the surgical error was the result of negligence. This can be an arduous task and one that requires a law firm with the experience and resources to properly investigate and hold negligent medical professionals responsible.

Our firm's medical malpractice attorneys have the knowledge and resources to thoroughly research the circumstances surrounding your claim and collaborate with the appropriate medical specialists to ensure your case has a strong foundation. Every aspect of your surgery, including pre-op and post-op procedures will need to be evaluated and reviewed to determine if an error did occur. All too frequently, busy and overworked hospital staff and surgical teams cut corners or omit vital safety protocols that can have a critical effect on the outcome of the surgery and the patient’s prognosis for recovery.

If you or someone you love is injured due to a surgeon or medical professional’s negligence, you may be eligible to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against that professional. You can seek to recover medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, long-term care, disability, pain & suffering, and other non-economic losses. Your attorney can ensure that you receive the maximum compensation to which you are entitled.

Contact Our Philadelphia M edical Malpractice Lawyers at (215) 278-4449

We believe in holding negligent surgeons, doctors, anesthesiologists, and nurses responsible for their errors and fight aggressively for all our injured patients and their families. If you suffered an injury during surgery that you believe was caused by the negligence of a surgeon or other attending healthcare provider, please give our firm a call as soon as possible.