If you wind up in the hospital for surgery, you depend on your surgeon to execute the procedure without causing you additional harm. But unfortunately, things can occur that are termed “never events” because if the proper protocols are followed, theoretically they never should have occurred.
Health care facilities sometimes deem these incidents as serious reportable events regardless of whether a patient’s life or health is compromised.
There are many ways that things can go wrong before, during or after a surgery. The wrong patient may be operated on for a condition they do not have due to switched medical records. Or perhaps the patient is correct but instead of the diseased right kidney, a distracted surgeon excises the healthy left one instead.
Some surgeons have left sponges and other medical artifacts inside of patients, triggering all sorts of complications and unpleasant consequences.
What can you do if you suspect or perhaps know that a surgical error caused or contributed to your worsened condition? You will need to address the situation with the surgeon as soon as is possible. You may need to get a second opinion in order to resolve the situation satisfactorily and mitigate any ongoing damage.
Then, it may be possible to seek financial damages from the negligent surgeon, the health care facility and others whose negligent actions or inactions contributed to your declining medical condition.
Don’t wait too late to seek civil redress for the damages and losses that you suffered because of a liable party’s negligence. Waiting too long can cause your case to proscribe, thus leaving you without any options to pursue.