Cleveland Medical Malpractice Attorneys Pushing for Justice when Surgical Mishaps Occur
Careless surgeons threaten the lives of their patients
A surgical mishap or surgical “misadventure” refers to a mistake or series of mistakes made during surgery by a member of the surgical team. A surgical team consists of the surgeon and everyone else who assists the surgeon during the procedure: junior surgeons (residents and fellows), certified surgical technicians, scrub nurses, circulating nurses, and others. An example of a surgical mishap is when a surgeon injures one organ while attempting to remove or repair another organ. Or, perhaps, the surgeon cuts into tissue without properly identifying it first. This is a known cause of various nerve injuries in surgery.
Excessive bleeding, nerve injuries, and injuries to organs are common surgical mishaps that may represent surgical negligence, depending on how exactly the injury occurred. The medical malpractice attorneys at The Eisen Law Firm find it inexcusable when surgeons injure patients due to medical negligence, carelessness or neglect. The trauma that occurs when Cleveland surgeons make mistakes can be permanent or even fatal.
How do surgical mishaps most often occur?
Other types of surgical mishaps involve cases where instruments such as cauterization devices are improperly used. This can result in burns and operating room fires or in major tissue damage. Other devices such as surgical staplers or robotic devices can also be misused and result in injury. A $1.75 million verdict and confidential settlement with the hospital was awarded when a metal stent was placed in a patient’s artery during concurrent coronary angioplasty surgeries. The edge of the stent put a hole in the artery that caused severe chest pain resulting in death.
Sometimes items used inside the body during surgery are supposed to be removed before the procedure is over but are left behind accidentally. These are called “inadvertently retained” items. Items such as surgical towels, needles, hemostats, and even scalpels have been left behind when members of the surgical team either fail to count these items before and after surgery or count them incorrectly. Needless to say, retained items can result in a number of problems for the patient, from post-operative bleeding to serious and fatal infections.
At The Eisen Law Firm, we have helped many people who have been the victims of surgical errors. Some of our clients have been turned down by other law firms, firms that were intimidated to take on well-known and well-trained surgeons. If we believe a client has been injured from surgical negligence, we will not back down, no matter how popular or powerful the surgeon may be.
Call today to speak with our Cleveland medical malpractice attorneys if you or someone you love has suffered a surgical mishap
Our compassionate medical malpractice attorneys stand up for the rights of patients who have been victimized by the negligence of Ohio surgeons. Every patient has the right to receive good care from their surgeon. The Eisen Law Firm offers free initial consultations to help you understand whether your surgeon committed malpractice and decide on your best course of action. Call us today at 216-687-0900 or to schedule an appointment at our Cleveland offices.