What Happens After a Surgery Goes Wrong?
Even in the best case scenario, surgery can be an incredibly stressful prospect to face. It’s rarely anyone’s first choice to have a surgeon cut into their body, no matter how experienced or well-trained they may be. In one of those best case scenarios, everything goes smoothly, you don’t feel a thing, and you go home healthier and on the road to recovery. But what happens in a worst case scenario, when something goes horribly wrong and you’re left with more problems than you started with?
How Can It Go Wrong?
Every surgical procedure comes with a certain level of risk, so doctors will require their patients to sign an informed consent document to ensure they are aware of the known risks associated with the procedure. While these documents protect medical professionals from certain lawsuits, it doesn’t act as an all-encompassing pass in the case of a surgical mistake. There are several ways a botched surgery could present itself, including:
- Anesthesia errors
- Incorrect or improper incisions
- Infection
- Leaving foreign objects inside a patient
- Nerve damage
- Operation on the wrong area of the patient
- Operating on the wrong patient
- Organ damage
These issues can be caused by anything from incompetence from one of the members of the surgical team to clerical errors resulting in faulty information. No matter the reason, the result is always bad for the patient affected by the surgical mistake.
What Now?
The first and most important thing to do after suffering a botched surgery is to ensure any and all errors are corrected by medical professionals. Until you get the medical care you need to get healthy, the risk for further complications only increases.
Once you are back on the proper path to recovery, it’s time to gather all of the relevant documents, including a copy of the informed consent document. The more paperwork you can put together, the stronger your case will be in court. While you are putting this information together, you need to take note of all the events leading up to and following your surgery. The sooner you can prepare for your case, the better your fight may be.
After you’ve started your preparations, it’s important to contact a qualified medical malpractice attorney who can assist you with your claim. Our Nashville medical malpractice lawyers at Kinnard Law are dedicated to providing the high-quality legal representation you need in order to prepare for your case. With over 150 years of collective experience, we have successfully represented clients throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and beyond for over 30 years. Contact us today for your free case consultation, or give us a call at (615) 933-2893.
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