Surgery is a common treatment option for a range of mild to serious conditions, including certain cancers, heart and lung conditions, as well as gastrointestinal and reproductive disorders. Despite modern technologies and advances in surgical techniques, however, surgery can still be a complicated procedure that carries risks for patients, particularly when the procedures are more invasive or when patients have certain other medical conditions.
Have You Suffered a Surgical Error?
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a surgical error, or if your loved one died from medical malpractice during surgery, contact Gacovino, Lake & Associates for help. Our well-respected, highly skilled lawyers have decades of combined experience helping victims of surgical errors recover compensation for their losses.
Types of Surgical Errors
Surgical problems can occur and harm patients as a result of:
- Poor preoperative planning: Before any surgery is performed, a doctor should thoroughly evaluate a patient’s personal and family medical history, including any medications the patient may currently be taking. Some medications and conditions may require that a procedure be performed in a specific manner in order to be safe for the patients. Failure to do so can lead to surgical errors during a procedure.
- Surgical errors during the procedure: The most serious surgical errors are caused by inexperienced, negligent or careless medical professionals. When such medical mistakes occur during surgery, they can be caused by use of un-sterile equipment, incorrect incisions, prolonged procedures and/or damage to other organs or nerves.
- Post-operative injuries: Infections, recurring conditions and septic shock are types of surgical errors that occur when medical professionals fail to properly clean and attend to patients during follow-up care.
Medical Mistake Statistics
- Each year, between 60 and 70 cases of wrong site surgery—surgery on the wrong part of the patient or on the wrong patient altogether—is reported.
- One in five medical mistakes is life-threatening
- Approximately 98,000 patients die each year due to preventable medical mistakes
- In 75 of the largest counties in the U.S., about 50 percent of all malpractice lawsuits are filed against surgeons
- Last year, there were more than 4,100 settlement payments made in surgical error lawsuits
Starting a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
At Gacovino, Lake & Associates, we welcome prospective plaintiffs to learn more about their legal rights during a free, no obligation consultation with one of our experienced lawyers. We are committed to aggressively defending our client’s rights and will work hard to resolve your case in a timely, efficient manner. We recognize the physical, emotional and financial losses you and your family are facing and will commit ourselves to helping you recover the full amount of compensation you are entitled to.
Contact Gacovino, Lake & Associates to determine if you have a substantial lawsuit.
