Fulton County Wrong Site Surgery Lawyer
Wrong site surgeries are completely preventable, and the catastrophic consequences they often inflict on victims may lead to significant injury, pain, and suffering. If you have been injured by a surgical error, contact a Fulton County wrong site surgery lawyer today to learn more about recovering financial compensation for your losses. A surgical error attorney could help you determine whether negligence was at play in the circumstances surrounding your injury with the help of an in-house doctor and offer astute counsel regarding your legal options.
Common Factors that Lead to Wrong Site Surgeries
There are numerous factors that commonly lead to this type of medical error, including:
- Badly organized or rushed procedures in the operating room,
- Failure to mark the correct surgery site,
- Poor communication between the medical staff and physician,
- Physicians conducting surgery while influenced by alcohol or drugs, and
- Performing an operation based on another patient’s test results or records.
When patients are subjected to a wrong site surgery, they should immediately reach out to a Fulton County attorney to discuss filing a negligence lawsuit for the losses they have suffered.
Damages from a Wrong Site Surgery
A victim of a wrong site surgery may suffer numerous damages after a wrong site surgery. Besides the high likelihood that the individual would still need to undergo his or her originally scheduled procedure, that victim may also require an additional procedure to correct any damage inflicted by the wrong surgery.
Complications which commonly arise from wrong site surgeries include broken bones, dislocated joints, damage to tissue, infections, removing healthy organs, brain damage, and even death. A Fulton County lawyer who has considerable experience handling wrong site surgery cases may be able to assist a victim in recovering fair compensation for the full measure of his or her damages.
Pursuing Compensation in a Wrong Site Surgery Lawsuit
Under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-71, wrong site surgery victims are generally afforded two years from the date of the incident to initiate a lawsuit seeking compensation with the civil courts. According to Georgia’s statute of repose, a lawsuit alleging medical malpractice may not be brought any more than five years after the incident occurred.
In rare circumstances, certain exceptions may apply which would impact the statutory deadlines named above. For example, if an instrument or object is left inside the victim, such as a surgical instrument, the individual is permitted to file a lawsuit up to a year out from the date he or she discovered the object. This one-year extension would apply whether or not the two-year time limit had expired.
Furthermore, exceptions could come into play in cases where the injured victim is a minor or ruled legally incompetent. This makes it imperative to speak with a knowledgeable attorney as soon as possible to ensure compliance with all filing deadlines.
Types of Compensation Available
A wrong site surgery victim could recover a range of compensatory damages, including those for:
- Hospital visits,
- Emergency room visits,
- Therapy,
- Surgeries,
- Medications,
- Lost income,
- Future loss of earning capacity, and
- Pain and suffering.
Schedule A Free Case Review with a Fulton County Wrong Site Surgery Attorney
When you enter a medical facility for a surgery of any kind, you rightly expect that the surgeon and medical staff act with the utmost care. However, when errors like a wrong site surgery happen, victims may be entitled to pursue justice in court.
To discuss whether you could be entitled to compensation, schedule your consultation with a Fulton County wrong site surgery lawyer. An attorney that uses cutting-edge courtroom technology stands ready to take your after hours call.