Surgical errors are horrific mistakes made by surgeons, nurses and other medical professionals who are present when a patient is undergoing surgery. It doesn’t matter if you are undergoing a routine procedure or a five-hour surgery to remove a tumor; there’s always the possibility that you or a loved one could be the victim of a surgical error. Today, we will discuss some ways that surgical errors can turn fatal.
Infection: A surgical error can turn deadly when an infection develops inside the body where a suture is placed by the surgeon to close a blood vessel. This almost always goes unnoticed until it is too late. The patient can bleed out internally, leading to their tragic passing.
Lost objects: Surgical errors can also be deadly if a piece of equipment is left inside the patient after he or she is closed up at the end of the procedure. If the item is not discovered inside the body in enough time, it could cause the patient to develop an infection or sepsis, leading to their death.
Simple mistakes: Surgical errors can be avoided if the surgeon and the nurses in the operating room perform a system of checks and balances. It’s also important for all involved in the surgery to pay attention to what they are doing at all times.
When you lose a loved one to a surgical error, you can file a claim for compensation. You might be able to ask for lost wages, medical expenses, funeral costs, pain and suffering, loss of consortium and more.
The loss of a loved one due to a surgical error is traumatic. You have the option to file a wrongful death claim against the surgeon, the hospital and some other entities so that you can be compensated for the loss.