Surgeries can be lifesaving. However, surgeons are not perfect and sometimes make mistakes, as do anesthesiologists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals involved in your treatment.
These mistakes can have deadly consequences or can leave you with expensive medical bills and serious medical issues. If you or someone you love is harmed due to a surgical error, you need to understand your legal rights and get help from a Philadelphia surgical errors lawyer.
Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., has decades of experience representing victims of surgical errors and a track record of recovering substantial compensation for clients. We don’t charge legal fees unless we recover compensation for your Philadelphia medical malpractice case, and we offer free consultations so you can better understand how we help you pursue justice.
To find out more about the assistance we can provide after a medical mistake harmed you or someone you love, give us a call today at (610) 825-0500.
Types Of Surgical Errors Our Philadelphia Attorneys Handle
At Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., we have represented clients harmed by many different kinds of surgical errors. Some of the mistakes that can result in clients getting compensation include:
- Operating on the wrong body part
- Operating on the wrong patient
- Foreign objects being left behind inside the body
- Mistakes during anesthesia, such as administering the wrong type or giving too much or too little anesthesia
- Using an incorrect surgical technique
- Failure to recommend the correct surgery
- Lack of informed consent
- Not providing patients with the proper pre-op instructions
- Postoperative complications such as infections or bleeding
- Medication mistakes before, during, or after the surgery
When these errors occur, the consequences can be dire. Patients could wake up and feel pain during surgery if the wrong anesthesia is provided, or they may not wake up at all and could die from the error. A patient could experience loss or damage to healthy body parts, or could see a medical condition progress because the wrong technique was used.
Who Can Be Held Liable For Surgical Errors?
Surgical mistakes can involve more than just the surgeon performing the procedure. Many medical professionals and institutions play a role in your care, and each may share responsibility when something goes wrong.
Surgeons
Surgeons may be liable if they make a preventable mistake, such as operating on the wrong body part, performing the wrong procedure, or failing to follow accepted medical standards.
Anesthesiologists
Anesthesiologists can be held accountable for administering the wrong medication or dosage, failing to monitor a patient’s vital signs, or not responding appropriately to complications during surgery. Our Philadelphia anesthesia errors lawyer can hold Anesthesiologists accountable.
Nurses and Surgical Staff
Nurses and surgical staff may bear responsibility for errors made before, during, or after surgery, such as improper preparation, equipment misuse, or inadequate post-operative care.
Hospitals, Surgical Centers, or Clinics
Hospitals, surgical centers, or clinics can also face liability if their policies, staffing, or safety procedures contributed to the error. These facilities are often responsible under vicarious liability laws for the actions of their employees, as well as for their own negligence, such as poor hiring practices or inadequate oversight. Our Philadelphia hospital malpractice legal experts will help prove negligence.
Medical Device Manufacturers
In some cases, medical device manufacturers may be liable if defective equipment, instruments, or implants contributed to the patient’s injury.
At Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., we work to identify every party that may share responsibility for a surgical error. By building a strong case supported by medical experts and a thorough investigation, we help victims pursue the full compensation they deserve for their losses.
How Does A Philadelphia Surgical Errors Lawyer Help You?
A Philadelphia surgical errors lawyer can provide invaluable assistance after a mistake during your procedure. At Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., we offer compassionate representation from day one. Our team will:
- Obtain medical records and witness testimony from the surgery to determine what went wrong.
- Help you to identify the defendants liable for your losses, such as surgeons, anesthesiologists, hospitals, clinics, and other care providers.
- Work with you to obtain a certificate of merit within the required 60-day timeframe, as this is necessary for a Pennsylvania medical malpractice case to go forward.
- Help you to build a strong case with expert witnesses testifying about how your care provider’s actions or inactions fell short of the professional standard.
- Negotiate with medical malpractice insurers representing the clinic or the care provider to try to settle your claim outside of court.
- Represent you in court when necessary to get full and fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, or wrongful death damages resulting from the surgical error.
With decades of experience handling unnecessary surgery cases in Philly, including those involving surgical errors, our firm understands how to evaluate liability, build strong claims, and fight for justice on behalf of our clients. Part of that process often involves proving negligence, which typically requires showing the following:
- Duty of care: the medical professional had an obligation to provide care consistent with their training and the accepted standards in their field
- Breach of duty: the care provided fell short of what a reasonably competent professional would have done under similar circumstances.
- Causation: the breach directly caused harm to the patient, rather than the patient’s underlying condition.
- Damages: the patient suffered measurable harm or losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, or permanent injury.
Some cases are clear-cut, such as leaving a foreign object inside a patient or performing surgery on the wrong body part. In other cases, expert testimony may be necessary to explain how the care deviated from professional standards.
Contact a Philadelphia Surgical Error Lawyer from Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., Today
At Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., we offer compassionate representation to victims of surgical errors in Philly. We have decades of experience addressing the complexities of claims against medical professionals where a professional standard of care is used, and we can make a compelling claim to maximize the compensation you recover.
We do not charge legal fees unless we win, and we will be there from day one to answer questions and help you navigate the justice system. To find out more about how our Philadelphia surgical error attorneys can help you after a doctor harmed you by making a medical mistake, give us a call or contact us online today.