Surgical Errors Caused by Negligence

Northern California Medical Malpractice Attorney

Any surgical procedure is a serious matter, and the last thing that any patient wants to hear after a surgery is that a mistake has been made. Although surgeons are specially trained to carefully perform complex surgeries, unfortunately, mistakes can happen. When these mistakes are preventable and end up causing injury to the patient, the surgeon or another party may have committed medical malpractice.

The following are common reasons for surgical errors:

• Poor communication. Miscommunications may result in the surgeon marking the wrong site for surgery, the patient getting the wrong dosage of medication, and other errors.
• Fatigue. Surgeons often work long shifts. Tired surgeons are more susceptible to error than a surgeon who is well-rested.
• Insufficient preoperative planning. If the surgeon is not well-prepared for surgery, he or she may not be prepared for any complications that may occur or have the right equipment on hand when they are needed during the procedure.
• Incompetence. A surgeon who has not performed a certain procedure many times before may lack the skill necessary to perform the procedure correctly.
• Neglect. A surgeon may not be as careful as they should be. For example, they may choose to use a piece of equipment that they know to be defective, or they may fail to sterilize their equipment before the surgery.
• Drugs & Alcohol. While it may seem shocking, it has been known to happen that surgeons perform a procedure while under the influence of drugs or alcohol to cope with the long hours and stress that they endure.

Examples of Surgical Errors

A surgical error can cause serious injury or even death to a patient. Examples of surgical errors may include:

• Operating on the wrong patient
• Operating on the wrong body part
• Leaving a piece of surgical equipment inside the patient
• Anesthesia errors
• Performing an incision at the wrong location
• Injuring a nerve or puncturing an organ during surgery

Consult with a Northern California Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Surgical errors go beyond the known risks of surgery. If you have been injured or have suffered the loss of a loved one during a surgical procedure, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim. We encourage you to contact the Law Offices of Larry S. Buckley to schedule a free consultation during which we can review the facts of your potential case. With decades of legal experience and an unyielding drive to fight for justice, our firm has earned a solid reputation for legal excellence in Chico, Roseville, Redding, and Sacramento, California.

Why qualifies us to handle your medical malpractice case?

• Decades of collective legal experience
• Multi-million-dollar recoveries
• No-win, no-fee policy
• Personalized & attentive service
• 24/7 availability

To find out if you have a viable medical malpractice case, don’t wait to contact our firm. We are standing by to take your call and counsel you on your legal options.