If you suspect that you have been adversely affected by medical malpractice you need to contact an experienced New York medical malpractice and personal injury lawyer who can help you determine the exact extent of the injury and damages. Some medical malpractice cases are caused in the recovery room after a surgery.
If you suspect that you have been adversely affected by medical malpractice you need to contact an experienced New York medical malpractice and personal injury lawyer who can help you determine the exact extent of the injury and damages. Some medical malpractice cases are caused in the recovery room after a surgery.
Knee Replacement to Abdominal Surgery
One woman who went in for a unicompartmental knee replacement ended up with an additional abdominal surgery because of an error in the recovery room. The knee replacement surgery was done correctly and the surgeon attached a drain to her knee and asked the recovery room nurse to attach it to a suction pump. The nurse, however, inadvertently connected the drain to an oxygen pump and turned on the valve. This led to her abdomen swelling up rapidly.
As the nurses, residents, and general surgeon were unable to understand the reason for the swelling, the general surgeon decided to cut open her abdomen and examine it. When he made the incision from the top of her abdomen to her groin, he heard a whoosh. It was only after the woman was taken to the recovery room a second time and the recovery room staff questioned did the real reason for her swelling abdomen become apparent.
Criteria for Medical Malpractice
The case described here fulfils all of the criteria for medical malpractice. The woman was a patient of the hospital, the hospital employee or nurse had made an error, and this resulted in the patient having to undergo an abdominal surgery that she did not require until then. The patient would have been exposed to the risks and pain of an abdominal surgery, scarring, and so on because of an error committed by medical personnel of the hospital.
Steps to Be Taken
If you suspect that you have been adversely affected by an error committed by a healthcare provider, you need to consult with an experienced New York medical malpractice and personal injury lawyer. The lawyer will examine the medical records and determine if you can ask for financial compensation for the injuries sustained. This can include covering the cost of the fresh medical treatment as well as compensation for the pain and suffering endured. For instance, a person who was prepared for a knee replacement surgery will need longer to recover from an additional abdominal surgery. This can also affect their quality of life.
If the medical malpractice insurance company refuses to compensate the affected patient, the lawyer will file a case in court and argue the case in front of a jury. The jury will then award damages to the patient.
Deciding if you have a valid medical malpractice case or not can be tricky as there are multiple criteria such as medical negligence and effect on patient to be fulfilled. If you require help with a medical malpractice case or have questions about your medical treatment, please call a trusted medical malpractice attorney.
