Undergoing A Procedure? Common Types of Surgical Mistakes In Tampa
Surgeons are highly skilled medical professionals who undergo years of training and schooling. However, they are only human and, just like anyone, are capable of making mistakes. Unfortunately, these can have potentially devastating impacts on patients and their families.
If you or someone you love is getting ready to undergo a procedure, it is important to be aware of the risks. Our Tampa medical malpractice attorney explains five common types of surgical errors and other surgery-related mistakes that can jeopardize your health and safety.
Five Common Surgical Errors That Jeopardize Patients
Cases of medical malpractice in Tampa and throughout the United States are unfortunately common and are a leading cause of death and disability among patients. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) warns that one of the most likely ways it happens is due to surgical errors and mistakes.
The NIH defines surgical errors as unintentional yet preventable injuries that occur during procedures and could have been avoided by taking the appropriate actions and following protocols considered reasonable by others in the medical community. There are five common types of surgical errors that jeopardize patients and could result in a medical malpractice claim in Tampa:
- Retained foreign bodies: This is when surgeons mistakenly leave sponges or other tools and instruments in the patient.
- Mislabeled surgical specimens: This can result in either a delayed diagnosis or undergoing an unnecessary procedure.
- Wrong-site errors: This is when a surgeon operates on the wrong body part, such as the left leg versus the right.
- Wrong-patient errors: This is when mix-ups result in the wrong patient being subjected to a needless procedure.
- Wrong procedure: This is when the surgeon operates on the right patient and body part, but performs the wrong type of procedure.
Surgery-Related Mistakes That Put You At Risk
Under the Florida Statutes, you have the right to hold surgeons and other medical providers involved in your care accountable when mistakes and errors happen. Filing a medical malpractice claim in Tampa can help you get a sense of justice and cover your medical costs, lost wages, and other expenses.
In addition to surgical errors, patients also need to be aware of common surgery-related mistakes that can also put them at risk:
- Anesthesia errors;
- Hospital-associated infections;
- Medication errors;
- Falls and other accidents that happen due to the negligence of hospital staff.
To Protect Your Rights In A Claim, Contact Our Tampa Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Surgeons may be highly skilled specialists when it comes to performing different types of procedures. However, potentially serious mistakes can happen that have devastating impacts on patients. At Greco & Wozniak, P.A., we protect your rights in filing a Tampa medical malpractice claim and help you get the compensation you need to cover medical costs, lost wages, and other expenses.
Get the caring, professional legal service you need in this situation and give us a call or contact our office online. To protect your rights, request a consultation with our experienced Tampa medical malpractice attorney today.
Sources:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK592394/
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0766/0766ContentsIndex.html
