Most surgeries go as planned and patients emerge from surgery with their healthcare issues bettered or corrected. Sometimes, though, surgeons or other healthcare professionals commit medical malpractice. This can result in serious complications for the patient. Among the injuries that patients might sustain because of a negligent surgeon or other healthcare professional are stomach or intestinal lacerations.
If you’ve been the victim of abdominal trauma from medical malpractice, take legal recourse to recover damages related to your injuries.
What are stomach and intestinal lacerations?
A stomach or intestinal laceration is exactly what it sounds like: a cut, usually severe, made upon the stomach or the intestines. Stomach and intestinal lacerations that occur in a medical setting can occur when a surgeon or other healthcare professional does not exercise proper care when performing surgery.
Any time that internal stomach cuts happen, a patient is at risk for developing complications.
- Internal bleeding
- Infection
- Inflammation
Oftentimes, a secondary surgery is required to correct the lacerations. If the lacerations are not corrected, the patient may be at risk of serious health complications, including death.
Types of Surgeries Where Stomach and Intestinal Lacerations May Occur
There are numerous surgeries that may pose a risk of abdominal trauma like lacerations if the medical team does not exercise reasonable care. Various procedures in the abdominal region can present a risk if a surgeon nicks the intestine or stomach.
Some types of surgical procedures where stomach and intestinal lacerations may occur include this list.
- Gastric bypass surgery
- Gynecological surgeries
- Small bowel resection surgeries
Additionally, a stomach and/or intestinal laceration may occur when a surgeon is attempting to repair abdominal trauma caused by something else, such as a gunshot or stab wound.
Causes of and Proving Medical Malpractice
Many instances of stomach and intestinal lacerations during surgery are avoidable, and occur only as a result of medical malpractice.
Common errors made by doctors that are considered malpractice errors include the following.
- Communication errors
- Equipment errors
- Failure to use the proper tools
- Operating while overly fatigued
For example, a surgeon may carelessly nick the intestine when performing a surgery. If you are to pursue a medical malpractice case against the surgeon, you would have to prove the surgeon owed you a duty of care – implied by the doctor-patient relationship in most cases – and that the surgeon violated that duty by acting negligently.
You must also connect the act of negligence to the accident that caused your injuries. In the previous example, careless operations are considered negligent, and if that carelessness led to the surgeon nicking your intestine with the scalpel, then you should be able to connect negligence to your injuries.
Finally, you must establish the damages that you’ve suffered as a result of your injuries.
- Additional procedures or medical care
- Lost wages while recovering
- Pain and suffering
Get Legal Help at Gacovino, Lake & Associates
If you’ve suffered from stomach and intestinal lacerations because of the actions of a medical professional, you have the right to file a medical malpractice claim for damages. New York offers 2.5 years from the date of injury to file a medical malpractice case. An attorney at Gacovino, Lake & Associates can make sure you file on time, help you prove negligence, and can secure medical expert testimony when necessary and handle other aspects of your case.
To get started on filing your claim now, call the attorneys at Gacovino, Lake & Associates today. Our attorneys can be reached at 800-550-0000. Or use our online contact form.
