A surgical error can take many forms, but in all cases, it is a direct result of medical negligence, whether from a careless or inexperienced surgeon. In extreme cases of surgical error, a wrong-site surgery occurs meaning the doctors operate on a wrong section or body part.
Often, wrong-site surgery occurs when the doctors confuse the right side of the body for the left, such as when the right arm or right kidney is operated on instead of the left, and so forth. When wrong-site surgery occurs, a patient is often left with permanent or disfiguring injuries, and in the worst-case scenario, may even die.
Some common causes of wrong-site surgery include:
- failure to properly review a patient's medical charts and histories;
- emergency situations and time constraints;
- inadequate communication between members of a surgical team; and
- multiple surgeons operating on the same patient.
No matter the cause of a wrong-site surgery, this surgical error is a form of gross medical negligence, and can be recognized as such with a Georgia medical malpractice claim.
If you or a loved one has sustained injuries from a surgical error, speak with an Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer to learn about the damages you can seek in a Georgia medical malpractice claim. In addition to your medical bills and lost time from work, an attorney can build a case which demonstrates the mental anguish, pain and suffering caused by the surgical error.
Contacting an Atlanta Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If you are the victim of someone else's negligence or carelessness, whether in a surgical error or some other type of medical malpractice, you have certain rights guaranteed by law. To help you understand these rights and seek the compensation you deserve to help get your life back in order, contact the Atlanta Law Offices of Sheryl L. Burke for a no-cost consultation on your injury case - 404-842-7838.
