doctors at the surgery room

Wrong-Site Surgery in Chicago

When you go into surgery, you trust that the doctors will do everything correctly. You never expect to wake up and hear that the surgical procedure was done on the wrong part of your body. It’s shocking, it’s devastating, and it leaves you questioning how this could happen. If you or someone you love has gone through these types of surgical errors, you deserve answers — and support.

Our team at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. has helped people in Chicago hold medical professionals accountable for serious surgical mistakes, and we’re here to help you, too. While you heal, we can handle the complex legal side and fight for what you deserve.

We know this process can feel intimidating, but from the moment you reach out, our attorneys and staff listen. We explain your options, answer your questions, and take action to protect your future. Contact us today to get started with a free, no-obligation consultation. You pay nothing unless we secure compensation for your medical malpractice case.

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What Is a Wrong Site Surgery?

A wrong site surgery happens when a surgeon operates on the wrong body part, such as performing a procedure on the left knee instead of the right or removing a healthy organ by mistake. When these surgical errors occur, they can cause severe complications, psychological distress, and long-term health issues.

In some cases, the mistake involves an incorrect patient entirely. Known as wrong patient surgery in Chicago, this happens when a doctor performs an operation meant for someone else, often due to communication failures, misfiled paperwork, or incorrect patient identification. This not only harms the person receiving the wrong surgery but also delays critical treatment for the intended patient.

The consequences of these errors are catastrophic. Patients may require additional surgeries, extended hospital stays, and ongoing medical care to fix the damage. The financial and emotional toll is also enormous. If this has happened to you or a loved one, our firm is here to demand accountability and help you pursue justice.

How Can a Medical Malpractice Lawyer Help with a Wrong Site Surgery Case?

At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., our goal is to bring you personalized guidance you can trust when you need it the most. Attorneys can help hold doctors and hospitals liable for their mistakes, and we have extensive experience doing so.

We take a detailed, thorough approach to investigating medical malpractice surgery in Chicago. Our team knows how to examine surgical records, review hospital staffing practices, and analyze surgical protocols to determine precisely what went wrong. We have close professional relationships with medical experts who can uncover errors and prove how negligence led to serious harm.

Results That Show We Care

We are immensely proud of our track record. Our lawyers have recovered over $2.5 billion for injured clients, including:

These case outcomes show our ability to take on hospitals, insurance companies, and powerful medical institutions. But beyond results, we understand how deeply personal these cases are. As one satisfied client wrote:

“I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard PC for their incredible support and expertise throughout my personal injury case. Their dedication and guidance were invaluable, and I truly appreciate everything they did to help me win my case and realize a just settlement. I couldn’t have gone through this without them.” — Client

Every case is different, and every story matters. Our team is here to hold healthcare providers accountable for such a life-changing and heartbreaking mistake. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.

Why Do Wrong Site Surgeries Occur?

Hospitals have safety protocols to prevent wrong site surgery, but mistakes still happen. Human error, miscommunication, and poor recordkeeping can lead a surgeon to operate on the wrong side or location. Overworked medical teams may skip safety checks, trust incomplete information, or rely on mislabeled charts.

Other types of surgical errors in Chicago happen because of communication breakdowns. A surgeon might misinterpret a radiologist’s notes, or a nurse might hesitate to question a potential mistake. Imaging results could be placed in the wrong patient’s file, leading an entire team to operate based on false information.

When doctors, nurses, or hospitals fail to prevent these errors, the law may apply res ipsa loquitor, meaning “the thing speaks for itself.” Wrong site surgery is an obvious violation of medical standards, often leaving no doubt that negligence occurred.

Legal Claims Involving Wrong Site Surgery

A medical malpractice lawsuit for wrong site surgery in Illinois requires proving that a healthcare provider failed to follow proper standards of care. This could mean skipping critical pre-surgical checks, misidentifying the treatment site, or ignoring a patient’s concerns. If the provider’s mistake caused serious harm, the victim can file a medical malpractice claim to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.

To pursue a medical malpractice suit in Illinois, you must show the following:

  1. The surgeon or hospital had a duty to provide proper care.
  2. They breached that duty by failing to follow accepted medical practices.
  3. The wrong site surgery caused specific harm or losses.

Our Chicago surgical error attorneys will carefully examine records, operation notes, and staff testimony to uncover what went wrong. We team up with medical experts who can explain how the provider acted recklessly. Whether through settlement or trial, we fight for the best possible outcome for your medical negligence claim.

Contact Our Legal Team for a Free and Confidential Consultation

It can be hard to believe anyone understands what you’re going through after experiencing a wrong site surgery in Chicago. At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., we’ve helped many clients through this incomprehensible situation and hold hospitals accountable for surgical mistakes. A Chicago surgical error attorney is here to listen to your story, investigate what happened, and fight for answers.

We offer free consultations and charge nothing unless we win your case because your focus should be on healing, not legal fees. If you or a loved one experienced wrong site surgery in Illinois, reach out today and let’s explore your legal options.