Medical Malpractice in New York: The Grave Dangers of Surgical Errors

Surgical operations entrust the patient’s life wholly to the team’s skill and competency. While most surgical procedures in the United States go successful, incidents of medical errors sometimes lead to severe complications or even death. These errors may eventually lead to surgical malpractice claims.

Cases of malpractice in New York mostly happens when the operation or procedure is conducted on the wrong part of the body, also known as the wrong site surgery (WSS). According to the American Joint Commission of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), administering the procedure to the wrong patient, or an overall erroneous procedure, also determines WSS. The “incorrect part of the body” may be defined further either as a mistake on the location of the surgery or the anatomical side.

Medical malpractice lawyers like those from The Law Offices of Joseph Lichtenstein provide victims of surgical malpractice reliable legal advice on how to get properly compensated for the injury inflicted. With the many forms of medical or surgical malpractice, an attorney from these firms may guide the victim if the incident warrants a claim. Additional medical costs and procedures are guaranteed when the surgeon or the surgical team is proven to be at fault.

Given that most surgical errors indicate the respective treatment given was below standard care, victims or lawyers have to prove that actual harm was delivered to qualify as medical malpractice in NYC. A surgical error can only be claimed as medical malpractice if the treatment or procedure performed was below the medical standard of care and had resulted to evident damage to the victim. Malpractice lawyers have more than enough years of experience to help clients prove malpractice with their situation.

Surgical mishaps may occur at any time of the whole process, including the period of recovery. It is crucial for every member of the team to be perceptive all throughout to prevent fatal oversight, such as leaving behind tools inside the body, or the implementation of a wrong process on the patient.

The Center for Disease Control reported that around 15,000 patients have had surgical instruments left inside their bodies each year. When internal organs or tissues are accidentally punctured, patients experience extreme pain after the surgery. Other similar situations uphold a claim against the accountable surgeon or team.

(Source: Filing a Surgical Malpractice Lawsuit for Injury Compensation. Injuryclaimcoach.com)