Chicago Surgical Error Lawyer

Many people require surgery to treat various medical conditions. However, surgeries can be difficult and dangerous. Complications may arise that threaten a patient’s health. Many patients trust their surgeon to provide appropriate care. After all, surgeons have received extensive education and experience in surgical matters before practicing on patients. Unfortunately, surgical mistakes are a leading cause of serious injury and even death in the United States. These mistakes can often be prevented when medical professionals adhere to the accepted standard of care. When a patient is injured or dies due to a surgical mistake, the negligent health care provider should be held accountable for the harm they cause.

At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C., our Chicago surgical error lawyers understand the dramatic impact a surgical error can have on a person and their family. Our surgical malpractice lawyers have helped clients recover compensation stemming from surgical mistakes. In one case, we obtained a $19.5 million settlement on behalf of a man who suffered brain damage when his medical team failed to properly execute a routine surgical procedure. In another case, we recovered $17 million on behalf of a two-year-old boy who suffered severe and irreversible brain damage during surgery to remove a cyst on his throat. Our established and well-respected law firm has recovered more than $2.5 billion in compensation to our Chicago medical malpractice and personal injury clients. We have law offices in Chicago and Lake County and are ready to help you pursue your claim against negligent healthcare providers whose surgical mistakes harmed you or a loved one. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Chicago surgical error attorney who can discuss your legal rights and actions.

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Surgical Errors Statistics 

surgical error caseA landmark Johns Hopkins report concluded that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Because national health statistics fail to classify medical errors separately on the death certificate, researchers found that medical errors are an under-recognized cause of death when analyzing medical death rate data over a recent eight-year period. They found that as many as 250,000 or 10 percent of all U.S. deaths per year are due to medical error.

A separate study found that at least 4,000 surgical errors that are called “never events” occurred each year. Researchers analyzed 20 years of data regarding surgical mistakes and medical errors over a 20-year period from the National Practitioner Data Bank. Operating on the wrong body part is a common surgical error. This study found that every week the following surgical mistakes occur:

  • Leaving a foreign object like a sponge, surgical instrument, or towel in a patient’s body cavity – 39 times per week
  • Performing the wrong procedure on a patient – 20 times per week
  • Operating on the wrong body site, such as the wrong limb – 20 times per week

Researchers found that surgical errors led to permanent serious injuries in 33 percent of cases and 6.6 percent of cases resulted in wrongful death. 

Types of Surgical Errors

Our Chicago surgical error attorneys work on medical malpractice cases where a surgeon deviates from the accepted standard of care and causes serious injuries or death. Common types of surgical errors that may constitute medical malpractice include:

Wrong site errors

  • A wrong site error occurs when a surgeon operates on the wrong part of the body. In these cases, the surgeon might operate on the wrong limb or the wrong level of the spine.

Wrong surgical procedure performed

  • If a health care provider performs the wrong type of surgery on the patient than what was planned or ordered, the patient may suffer serious injuries or even death in some cases.

Wrong patient errors

  •  The surgical team may perform surgery on the wrong patient when their medical records get mixed up or due to poor communication between the medical team.

Anesthesia errors

  •  Improperly administered anesthesiology can lead to further injuries or even death.

Failure to properly address complications 

  •  There is a risk to most surgical procedures. However, health care providers are expected to respond quickly and properly to problems that arise in the operating room. Failure to address excessive bleeding or monitor a patient during a procedure are common surgical errors.

These types of medical malpractice can lead to serious injuries and death. Some of the complications victims of medical malpractice may face include:

  • Punctured organs
  • Fractures
  • Nerve damage
  • Brain injuries
  • Burns
  • Hemorrhage
  • Post-surgical infections
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Internal bleeding and blood clots
  • Heart attack

If you or a loved one suffered an injury due to a healthcare provider’s negligence, schedule a free consultation with one of our Chicago surgical error lawyers. We can discuss whether you have a viable medical malpractice claim and the potential compensation you may be able to recover.

Most Common Causes of Surgical Errors

In the work “Medical Error Reduction and Prevention,” researchers found that many surgical errors occur before or after the surgical procedure rather than during it. They found some of the most common causes of surgical errors include:

  • Lack of adequate surgeon training or education
  • Lack of standardized rules or procedures
  • Major communication gaps between the surgeon and other medical professionals
  • Poor communication between the patient and surgeon
  • Rush to complete cases

What Are the Surgical Procedures with Highest Problem and Difficulty Rates?

According to research published in JAMA Surgery, seven types of emergency surgeries account for 80 percent of the total costs, deaths, and complications of all emergency surgeries in the United States. Researchers ranked the surgeries based on how burdensome they were, which considered the number of procedures performed, the cost of operations, mortality rates, and complication rates. Researchers ranked them in the following order of problem and difficulty:

  • Removal of a part of the large intestine
  • Removal of a part of the small intestine
  • Gallbladder removal surgery
  • Stomach-ulcer surgery
  • Removal of scar tissue from the abdomen
  • Appendix removal
  • Abdominal exploration

Compensation You Can Recover in a Surgical Error Lawsuit

If a surgical error, anesthesia error, or other surgical mistake caused a serious injury or the death of a loved one, you might be able to pursue compensation for the harm you have suffered. Surgical malpractice cases demand compensation for the following types of damages:

  • Additional medical expenses to correct the surgical mistake
  • Future anticipated medical expenses to deal with the complications caused by surgical mistakes
  • Permanent disability and loss of enjoyment of life
  • Lost wages and reduction to future earning potential
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental and emotional anguish and distress

Your medical malpractice lawyer can evaluate the economic and non-economic damages you have suffered to calculate the value of your medical malpractice claim. You can learn more about the damages you may be able to cover during your free initial consultation with a surgical error lawyer.

How Our Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyers Can Help With Your Case, No Matter the Cause of Surgical Errors

No matter the cause of the surgical error that has harmed you or a loved one, you can count on our experienced medical malpractice lawyers to:

  • Thoroughly investigate your case and identify all surgical mistakes the medical team made
  • Identify all parties who are responsible for your injuries
  • Create a clear summary of the case and how surgical malpractice led to the injuries
  • Discuss your options for pursuing compensation for the injuries you suffered, including filing a claim against the negligent health care provider’s medical malpractice insurance or filing a medical malpractice lawsuit in court
  • Consult with medical experts who can provide additional support for your case and an affidavit establishing you have legal grounds to pursue the case

For four decades, we have fought diligently to protect the rights of injured victims and their families. We provide a free case evaluation to discuss your legal options for pursuing compensation through a medical malpractice claim. Learn more about how we can help by completing our contact form or calling us today.