Surgeries have an implied risk, especially when they are invasive and difficult. You can, however, expect a certain level of care from your surgeon and from the medical staff when you undergo a surgery. Having an error occur during your surgery can be quite traumatic, in addition to potentially having long-term repercussions.
Making surgical error claims can often aid you in expenses and to recover from physical and psychological pain. Our experts understand how suffering from a surgical error can be distressing, and we handle each individual case with the respect you deserve.
Common Surgical Errors
The most common surgical errors can be related to wrong surgeries being performed, lack of skills from the medical staff, or any other reason related to improper care such as:
- Foreign objects, such as scissors, were left in the body.
- There was an anaesthetic reaction or awareness.
- An unnecessary operation was undertaken.
- There is paralysis.
- Organs were perforated.
- The wrong operation was performed.
- The wrong body part was operated on.
- There is brain or nerve damage.
- Delayed or cancelled operation.
- A failure to obtain proper surgical consent.
- Infections after the surgery.
Common Causes of Surgical Errors
Although a surgical error can occur for a wide variety of reasons, there are a few main causes of surgical errors:
- Negligence. When there is complacency when an operation is undertaken.
- Lack of planning. There can be a failure to plan the surgery before the operation.
- Fatigue. This can be caused by the long hours that surgeons and medical staff work.
- Incompetence. Lack of skills to perform a specific surgery.
- Lack of communication. Errors can occur when there is a lack of proper communication.
How to Make a Claim on a Surgical Error
Should you or a loved one have suffered from a surgical error, the first step is to make sure that you’ve gathered all relevant evidence. This evidence can include admission records, doctor’s notes, photographs, and any other relevant document.
Claiming for a surgical error should be done within three years after the surgical error or three years from the exact date in which the surgical error was found. For claimants who are younger than 18 years old, however, the time limit is three years after they turn 18.
You can claim for a family member should they be unable to make the claim themselves. Should your loved one have passed away due to a surgical error, for example, you can make a claim if you are a parent, a civil partner, or a spouse.
Making a claim can help you to receive compensation for a wide variety of losses you have incurred, such as:
- Loss of earnings.
- General damages incurred.
- General medical expenses.
- Cost of short or long-term care.
- Travel expenses.
As these claims are often very complex, it’s vital to have an experienced medical negligence solicitor fighting for your best interests. Our team will ensure that your claim is up to the highly technical standards and details that it requires.
Get in touch with us if you or a loved one have suffered from a surgical error due to negligence.