Knoxville Surgical Error Attorney
No one is immune from mistakes. That includes surgeons. Thankfully, most surgical mistakes do not result in lasting harm. Errors can happen. However, if the surgeon was negligent and administered substandard care, and you or someone you love was harmed, it’s a different scenario. The negligent medical professional can be held liable for your injuries and damages. If so, you need to speak with an experienced Knoxville surgical error attorney right away.
Examples of Surgical Errors
Examples of surgical mistakes can include:
- Making an incision on the wrong part of the body
- Severing nerves that cause a loss of sensation or even paralysis
- Performing the incorrect surgical procedure, which can happen due to patient mix up and/or no verification before surgery
- Anesthesia errors, which can cause pain and even result in brain damage or death
- Leaving surgical equipment or other foreign object inside a patient’s body
- Removal of the wrong body part, such as a healthy kidney, wrong limb, etc.
At Atkins Brezina, PLLC, we understand how devastating a surgical error can be, both physically and emotionally. If you or someone you love are the victims of a negligent surgical mistake, you could have the right to bring a medical malpractice claim in Tennessee. Even if you signed an informed consent form prior to surgery, it doesn’t give the medical provider the right to be negligent and make life-altering errors, like amputating the wrong limb.
In some situations, the patient may die from a surgical error. In this case, the family may have the right to bring a wrongful death lawsuit. While no amount of compensation will bring your family member back, the payment you receive can at least help offset the sudden and unexpected burden your family is facing.
How Surgical Errors Occur
Surgical errors can happen for several reasons. While not excusable, some of the most common reasons for mistakes include:
- Inexperience
- Incompetence
- Fatigue
- Neglect
- Distraction
- Taking dangerous shortcuts during the surgery/procedure
- Drug or alcohol impairment
- Lack of communication between medical personnel during the surgery/procedure
It is crucial that surgeons and other medical staff take their jobs seriously. If a surgeon doesn’t take his or her profession seriously and recognize that they hold a patient’s life in their hands, it’s more likely a mistake will happen. Don’t let a negligent medical provider get away with malpractice. Hold them accountable and keep someone else from experiencing the same trauma you have.
Types of Damages in a Surgical Error Case
Damages in a surgical error case are like other personal injury matters. You could receive reimbursement for your economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, etc. Your non-economic damages include reimbursement for things such as pain and suffering, disfigurement, loss of consortium, etc. In some cases, you may even receive punitive damages, which are designed to “punish” the defendant for their intentional or reckless behavior.
Contact an East Tennessee Surgical Error Attorney
To learn more about medical malpractice in Tennessee, contact Atkins Brezina, PLLC to schedule an initial consultation.
