Recoverable Damages in Atlanta Bariatric Surgery Malpractice Cases
Bariatric procedures, like many other surgeries, require a high level of precision and care. Medical providers must adhere to the standard of care to ensure their patients are safe during and after the operation.
If you believe your medical provider committed an error that caused you to suffer severe complications, seek legal help right away. A bariatric surgery attorney can help you determine whether you have a valid claim against your medical provider. Get in touch with our firm to learn more about recoverable damages in Atlanta bariatric surgery malpractice cases.
Pursuing Economic Damages after a Bariatric Surgery Error
Economic damages are the monetary losses the injured party incurs as a result of an accident. For example, if a patient underwent a lap band procedure, and the band was defective, he or she would require subsequent surgeries to remove the lap band or install a new one or reposition it. In a malpractice case, that patient would be able to pursue compensation for the costs of those subsequent surgeries.
The complications and additional procedures that follow a surgical error often result in a prolonged hospital stay. An injured patient who only planned to take a week off work may end up taking two or three months because of an error. That person would be able to pursue compensation for the money he or she would have made at work.
If the patient will need long-term medical care after the incident, he or she could seek restitution for those financial losses as well. Anyone who is unsure about what types of economic losses they might recover after a bariatric surgery error should speak with a lawyer about their situation.
Calculating Economic Losses in an Atlanta Malpractice Case
Economic damages are hard numbers, meaning they are often easy to calculate and present in an Atlanta bariatric malpractice case. All medical bills related to the bariatric surgery can serve as evidence of the patient’s costs. Additionally, a lawyer could use past pay stubs to determine how much income the injured party would have earned.
For example, if the patient typically earned $20 an hour, a lawyer would multiply that by how many hours he or she was unable to work due to the injuries. In cases involving life-long injuries, an attorney might hire an expert to estimate how much money the injured party would have made over the course of his or her life.
Seeking Compensation for Non-Economic Losses
Non-economic damages do not have a monetary value attached to them, making them difficult to calculate. Common examples of non-economic losses include physical and mental pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Determining the Value of One’s Non-Economic Damages
In a civil case, the jury uses the facts of the trial to determine how much the injured party’s non-economic losses are worth. In court, the injured patient should use evidence and testimony to prove that his or her quality of life has diminished and to show how their injuries have changed them. An experienced lawyer could help injured parties create a strategy for obtaining an appropriate amount of non-economic damages in their bariatric surgery cases.
We Could Help You Recover Damages in an Atlanta Bariatric Surgery Malpractice Case
Medical providers are expected to maintain a certain standard of care when operating on their patients. Individuals who fail to do that could be held financially liable in civil court. If you suffered losses due to an error in your weight-loss surgery, contact Warshauer Woodward Atkins today. A lawyer can help you identify the recoverable damages in your Atlanta bariatric surgery malpractice case.
