A surgeon malpractice lawsuit can involve any error relating to surgery. Contact our law firm about a money settlement for a failed surgery.
These errors may be attributable to surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, technicians, pharmacists and other medical professionals. In order to prevail in a malpractice suit, you have to prove that the medical professional acted unreasonably and that their conduct was a direct cause of injury. Unless both issues are proved, there is no case.
Examples of Surgeon Malpractice
There are some situations where there is little doubt as to the negligence of the medical professional. For example:
- The surgeon takes out the wrong organ.
- Administration of the wrong dose of medication or the wrong medication. In one of our cases, an elderly patient was administered 10 times the dose of medication. The patient died.
- Failure to treat a medical condition. If in the course of the surgery, a medical condition appears that is not treated, there may be serious consequences. We recently recovered $950,000.00 for a one of our clients where a hospital failed to treat an infection, which led to septic arthritis.
- Surgery performed on the wrong body part. This would include taking out the wrong body part as mentioned above. It also includes surgery on the wrong eye, arm or other body part. This is per se negligence and is a reportable adverse surgical event under Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. Section 144.7065, Subdivision 2 (1)).
- Surgery performed on the wrong patient. Again, this is per se negligence and is a reportable adverse surgical event under Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. Section 144.7065, Subdivision 2 (2)).
- Wrong surgical procedure performed on that patient. This can result in serious injury, but this is worth pursuing even if there is no permanent damage—a patient should be compensated for enduring an unnecessary procedure. Again, this is per se negligence and is a reportable adverse surgical event under Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. Section 144.7065, Subdivision 2 (3)).
- Retention of a foreign object in a patient after procedure. A man recently had to have a leg amputated after a sponge was left in his leg after surgery. Again, this is per se negligence and is a reportable adverse surgical event under Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. Section 144.7065, Subdivision 2 (4)).
- Burn with medical equipment or because of negligence. In one of our cases, a nurse threw boiling hot water on a woman who had just given birth. She had 2nd degree burns on her bottom. Recently, a newborn baby was severely burned under warming lights.
Proving malpractice involves complex medical and legal issues. If you have any questions about your case, please contact us for a free case evaluation. Our offices are located in Minnesota, but we represent people throughout the United States.
Pritzker Hageman attorneys have been interviewed by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Lawyers USA and other publications. Our law firm is listed in U.S. News and World Report’s The Best Law Firms in America. Contact a lawyer for a free case evaluation.
Our Minnesota medical malpractice lawyers have a national practice and represent people throughout the United States.
More information: