Surgery is a medical specialty that has the ability to save lives and ease chronic pain. However, because the doctors who perform these procedures are human, there’s a possibility for errors. In fact, according to a study from 2012, more than 4,000 preventable surgical mistakes happen each year. When they occur, patients can hire a lawyer and attempt to seek compensation for their injuries. The following is a brief outline of some of the most common surgery mistakes and what you can do about them.

What Are Examples of Surgical Mistakes? 

Foreign Objects Left Inside a Patient

Leaving foreign objects inside the body of a patient is an error that personal injury lawyers see frequently. While nurses and surgeons are supposed to keep track of the instruments they use during a procedure, sometimes items like clamps, sponges, or gauze can get left behind. This can lead to intense pain and left-threatening infections in patients.

Wrong Patient, Side, or Site 

If a hospital is disorganized and fails to perform a preoperative verification on a patient scheduled for surgery, they could end up receiving an operation that was not intended for them. Along with exposing the patient to the risks of an unnecessary surgery, it also doesn’t treat the ailment they originally came in for. 

Malpractice lawyers also report seeing what are called wrong-side surgeries—such as when a doctor mistakenly operates on a left rather than a right knee, for example, as well as wrong-site surgeries when a surgeon amputates the wrong body part or uses the incorrect organ during a transplant. 

Have You Been the Victim of a Surgical Error?

While some errors may be obvious, it can be more difficult to detect internal surgery mistakes, such as an object being left in your body. Talk to your doctor right away if your recovery is not going well or if the treatment does not seem to be working.

If your doctor suggests additional surgery as a solution, find out why. Also, if you felt that your procedure was rushed or that the hospital was understaffed, contact a lawyer. There’s a chance your care may have been compromised.

If you or a loved one think you may be the victim of a surgical mistake, contact the lawyers at Goicoechea, DiGrazia, Coyle, & Stanton in Elko, NV. For more than 40 years, this firm has been helping clients get the justice and compensation they deserve through wrongful death claims and personal injury suits. They’re also highly experienced in civil litigation. Visit their website to learn more about this seasoned team of attorneys, and call (775) 738-8091 to schedule a consultation today.