Wrong Site/Wrong Side Surgery Article

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Wrong Site/Wrong Side Surgery

According to recent reports, hundreds people die due to medical mistakes each year in the US. Many of these medical mistakes are preventable, which makes them even more disturbing since they did not have to happen at all.

Author: Sara Goldstein

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Performing surgery on the wrong side or wrong site is simply inexcusable and had proper care been taken, the mistake could have been avoided. Some of the most common wrong site or wrong side surgical errors are:

Removing wrong limb
Removing wrong breast during a mastectomy
Cutting into wrong side of body to remove a tumor

Liability in Wrong Site/Wrong Side Surgery Cases

Wrong site or wrong side surgery cases fall under the legal category of medical malpractice and there are several parties that can be held liable in cases like these. The surgeon, operating room staff and the hospital can all be held accountable for surgical errors. If you are injured due to a wrong site/wrong side surgical mistake, you may be entitled to a variety of damages including, but not limited to:

Medical expenses
Long-term medical care
Medical equipment
Around-the-clock care
Lost income, current and future
Funeral expenses
Pain and suffering

Having a medical malpractice lawyer help you file a claim against all responsible parties will allow you the chance to recover both physically and emotionally while they concentrate on getting you the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

How Wrong Site/Wrong Side Surgery Mistakes Happen

Wrong site/wrong side surgery is always caused by the negligence of a medical professional. All health care professionals have an obligation to provide the best care they can in any given situation. Mistakes still can happen and when they do, the mistakes are usually caused by:

Poor or hurried pre-surgical planning
Failure to follow proper procedure
Poor communication between patient, staff, and surgeon
Multiple surgeons involved
Multiple procedures performed at once
Surgeons operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Consequences of Wrong Site/Wrong Side Surgery

More often than not, the consequences of a wrong site or wrong side surgery are catastrophic on a physical, emotional and financial level for the patient and perhaps their family. It is possible that a patient may come out of surgery in the same condition as when they went in. More devastating consequences include accidental amputation and even death. In cases where the patient survives, additional surgeries are often required to correct the original mistake.

About Author

If you live in the Little Rock area of Arkansas and have suffered due to wrong site/wrong side surgery, please visit The Duncan Firm online.

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