Taking a look at surgical errors
Posted in Firm News, Medical Malpractice on December 19, 2016
When patients prepare for operations, they may face a number of challenges, from anxiety over the procedure to preparing for surgery. Unfortunately, some patients in Seattle and across Washington may experience a surgical error. When a surgical error occurs, the patient may suffer from a worsened condition or deal with a tremendous amount of pain. Sadly, some of these errors prove fatal and leave families with permanent emotional pain.
Information published by the National Library of Medicine provides a number of examples of surgical errors. Although many errors are the result of wrong-site surgery, or operating on the incorrect part of a patient’s body, surgical errors also consist of surgeons performing incorrect procedures or operating on a mistaken patient. These serious mistakes happen for a multitude of reasons, such as time constraints, the moving of beds in a hospital and patients who have names that are alike, among other causes.
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, surgical errors are considered never events, meaning they should not ever take place. While rare, these errors do happen and often leave victims with a myriad of challenges. Even though there are strategies that medical professionals can employ to prevent these mistakes, such as the use of comprehensive checklists, these errors will likely claim more lives and cause additional suffering in the years to come.
After a surgical error, victims and members of their family should not hesitate to come forward. After all, negligent surgeons and other medical professionals should not get away with their actions.
Jay M. Kelly III - Managing Partner
Meet Jay M. Kelley III, a top medical malpractice attorney in Ohio with over 25 years of experience and $200 million in verdicts and settlements. He is licensed in Washington and heads Elk + Elk’s litigation strategy in state and federal courts and has a unique background as a former felony prosecutor and hospital defense lawyer. Jay specializes in complex cases, including birth injuries and wrongful death, and is recognized by Best Lawyers and ranked among the Super Lawyers Top 10 in Ohio.
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