Medical Malpractice & Surgical Errors
Sometimes, surgery is not successful. In some cases, this is an inevitable outcome and not anyone’s fault. However, in many cases, the poor outcome can be traced to a surgical error.
Providence RI Medical Malpractice Help
In Providence and throughout Rhode Island, the medical malpractice lawyers of Gemma Law Associates, Inc., stand up for those who have been harmed by mistakes made during surgery. We believe that victims and their families deserve a thorough investigation into what went wrong and aggressive pursuit of compensation for their losses.
Contact us today to learn how we can assist you.
Most Common Surgical Errors & Medical Malpractice
Common surgical errors that occur in Rhode Island and across the country include:
- Pre-operative medication errors
- Pre-operative diet errors
- Operating on the wrong site
- Operating on the wrong patient
- Anesthesia error (dosage or type of anesthesia used)
- Accidental puncture or laceration during the procedure
- Leaving foreign objects (sponges, towels, instruments) in the patient’s body
- Post-operative hemorrhage (bleeding) or hematoma (blood clot)
- Post-operative infection, which can lead to sepsis and organ failure
- Post-operative pulmonary embolism (a potentially fatal blood clot in a lung)
- Post-operative respiratory failure
- Post-operative physiologic and metabolic derangements (lack of blood sugar control among diabetics and/or kidney failure in patients with no previous kidney problems)
- Post-operative wound dehiscence (ruptures along surgical suture), leading to infections.
Why Do Surgical Errors Happen?
There are several identifiable reasons for surgical errors. These include:
- Surgeon inexperience, including surgeons practicing outside their specialty
- Judgment / decision errors
- Vigilance or memory failures
- Poor supervision of trainees
- Excessive workload
- Fatigue
- Poor communication among surgeons, nurses and technicians
- Inadequate patient hand-offs or personnel changes
- Failure to establish clear lines of responsibility
- Lack of optimal technology (up-to-date tools and equipment)
- Inadequate hospital systems, policies and procedures.
Our Medical Malpractice Lawyers Will Investigate Your Surgical Error Case
Determining how and why a surgical error occurred requires obtaining and reviewing all of the patient’s medical records.
The medical malpractice attorneys of Gemma Law Associates, Inc., can obtain your medical records and have them analyzed by qualified medical personnel whom we regularly consult. When surgical errors or other inappropriate practices or procedures can be identified, we can move swiftly to pursue a claim on your behalf.
A medical malpractice lawsuit based on surgical error can recover compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering and other losses. In cases of egregious misconduct, punitive damages may be sought.
This is technical work that requires analyzing large volumes of data. There are also strict statutes of limitations on medical malpractice personal injury and wrongful death claims in Rhode Island. It is best to begin the preliminary work of gathering and reviewing records for a potential claim as soon as possible.
Talk with An Attorney About Your Surgical Error Case Today
If you believe that you or a loved one was injured by a preventable surgical error, you owe it to yourself to have the matter fully and independently investigated. Contact the surgical error lawyers of Gemma Law Associates, Inc. We serve medical malpractice victims and their families throughout Providence and Rhode Island. Our consultations are always free.