Philadelphia Surgical Error Attorney

The prospect of surgery is a daunting one, even for the most iron-willed. There’s no such thing as a minor surgery, especially when you’re the one on the table. So when you wake up and discover that an error occurred, what are your next steps? How do you determine the recourse for the parties responsible? Unfortunately, determining medical malpractice and surgical error is not always black and white, just ask our personal injury lawyers in Philadelphia. 

Our Philadelphia Surgical Error Lawyers Are Here For You

An error during surgery isn’t always grounds for a medical malpractice claim. Malpractice occurs when a medical professional fails to provide adequate care, or falls below an established standard of care. A physician commits negligence when he or she fails to diagnose or treat a disease, or issues inadequate treatment. In the case of surgical procedures, you need to prove that the surgeon’s care well below standard and that you were harmed by it.

So what defines a surgical error? Simply put, a surgical mistake is one that is completely preventable. When you undergo a surgery, the hospital and your attending physician are required by law to educate you about all of the known risks associated with the procedure. The forms you sign before surgery are known as informed consent documents. The mistakes that make you eligible for a malpractice claim are those that go beyond any known risks outlined during the informed consent process.

Why Choose A Philadelphia Surgical Errors Lawyer From Ciccarelli Law Office for Help?

At the Ciccarelli Law Office, our mission is success for our clients, and we take every step necessary to assist with their claims:

• We have a track record of success, shown by our successful recovery of major settlements and jury verdicts on behalf of medical malpractice clients.
• Our clients always come first, meaning you will always have access to your attorney if you have any questions or concerns about your surgical mistakes case.
• Our team has extensive litigation experience, which means we can take your case all the way from the beginning stages through to a trial by jury.

Common Surgical Errors In Philadelphia

Even though most surgeries are completed successfully, there are still many that end in pain or tragedy. Surgical errors must be avoided, and carrying out a successful surgical procedure involves cooperation with every person on the surgical team. Mistakes can be made by doctors, anesthesiologists, nurses, nursing assistants, and others.

Some of the most common surgical mistakes include the following:

• Foreign objects left behind. One of the most common errors made in surgery is foreign objects getting left behind inside of patients after the surgery is complete. Foreign objects can include anything from surgical clamps to gauze or sponges. When a surgeon and other members of the surgical team fail to account for the equipment used adequately, objects can get left behind and have long-term health consequences for a patient.
• Operating on the wrong site. If proper surgical safety measures are not followed, surgeons, medical staff, and nurses may incorrectly identify the site of the surgical procedure. Some examples of wrong-site surgeries can include amputations of the wrong limb and replacing or removing the incorrect organ. 
• Operating on the wrong patient. Every member of the surgical team must know which patient is in front of them. Unfortunately, if proper procedures are not taken to ensure that the correct individual is undergoing a surgical procedure, the wrong patient could get operated on. This could occur if individuals accidentally mix up medical records or fail to check patient-identifying wristbands or name tags.
• Anesthesia mistakes. Anesthesiologists play an incredibly important role when it comes to surgical procedures. Anesthesia ensures that patients are unable to feel the pain of a procedure, but mistakes can be made. These mistakes can include failing to administer the correct dose of medications, failing to properly monitor patient vital signs during the procedure, or failing to monitor a patient after the procedure is over.
• Perforations. Various surgical tools could lead to a perforation of internal organs, arteries, or veins. Often, these perforations are noticed and fixed immediately, but not always. These types of perforations could lead to severe infections or blood loss for a victim and be life-threatening.

There are certainly other types of errors that can be made in the operating theater. If you believe you have been harmed by a surgical error, we encourage you to reach out to a Philadelphia surgical mistakes attorney as soon as possible for a free consultation. The quicker you get a legal team involved, the better your chances of success with a claim against a negligent medical provider.

What Grounds Do I Have For A Surgical Error Claim?

No two surgeries are the same, so our firm evaluates each on a case-by-case basis. However, we do follow general guidelines for determining grounds for a claim:

• Preoperative mistakes: Surgeons must prepare themselves extensively for each surgery, including making contingency plans for complications. Nurses and other medical professionals must make every effort to equip the surgical suite with all of the necessary components for a procedure. Failure to do so may result in negligence.
• Communication errors: A successful procedure hinges on effective communication between every member of the medical team, from the surgeon in charge to the nurses and anesthesiologist. Any breakdown in communication can lead to errors, such as not realizing that a patient is allergic to a medication.
• Fatigue: It’s no secret that surgeons work long shifts, which can affect their accuracy. Hospitals are required to make sure that doctors are not exceeding their normal work hours.
• Incompetence: As much as we would like to believe that every doctor treats surgeries with great care, some take shortcuts or eschew evidence-based techniques to make a procedure faster. When this occurs, they’ve committed negligence from their own incompetence.
• Influence of drugs or alcohol: Just as you’re prohibited from operating a vehicle under the influence, a surgeon is required to complete every procedure with a clear mind. It goes without saying that a surgeon who operates under the influence commits negligence. If caught, they could serve jail time and lose their license on top of a malpractice suit.

Call Our Experienced Surgical Error Lawyers In Philadelphia

Meeting with a law firm that has experience dealing with surgical lawsuits is the first essential step in securing compensation for your surgical experience. Don’t let the hospital attorneys lowball you into accepting a settlement that’s less than you deserve. Meet with the Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys at the Ciccarelli Law Office to review your case, risk-free. We have a proud history of getting fair settlements for our clients without going to trial. If going to court becomes necessary, we’ll work hard to provide all the evidence a jury needs to award you compensation. For a case evaluation, contact our office today.