Doctors have to undergo extensive training before getting their medical licenses. Years of residency, continuing education courses and daily clinical experience all ensure that medical professionals are the best they can possibly be.
Unfortunately, they may still have trouble telling left from right.
Mistakes Can Happen – Even After Decades of Training
Wrong-side surgery is a common surgical error in Virginia. A patient may awaken after surgery thankful to be alive, only to find out that the wrong side of their body was operated on. At best, it means another procedure-at worst, the loss of a perfectly healthy body part.
Common Wrong-side Surgeries
The most common wrong-side surgeries in Virginia:
- Brain surgery. Operating on the wrong side of a person’s brain can have a number of consequences, including speech difficulties, neurological damage, or permanent paralysis.
- Kidneys. When a doctor removes the wrong kidney from a patient, the victim will inevitably need the damaged one removed as well, leaving him to suffer dialysis for the rest of his life.
- Knees. Joint surgery is a difficult procedure with a long recovery time. Operating on the wrong side will cause a surgical victim twice the pain and half the mobility of a normal patient.
- Eyes. Losing one eye is bad enough, but if a doctor mistakes the eye to be removed, a patient could be blinded for the rest of his life.
- Right / left limb amputation. Amputations are an unfortunately common form of wrong-side surgery. Some patients are so afraid of waking up with the wrong body part missing that they write “wrong one” on the healthy limb before surgery.
If You’ve Been a Victim of One of These Surgical Errors, Contact Shevlin Smith Today
As experienced Fairfax medical malpractice attorneys, we know that these types of medical malpractice cases often require considerable compensation for the victims. A number of factors add weight to the victim’s case: the surgical team had ample opportunity to correct the mistake, the victim will often have to undergo an additional procedure, and the hospital responsible will want to avoid negative attention. We know how terrifying it is to put your lives in another’s hands while under anesthesia. Patients are powerless to protect themselves during a procedure-and when they awaken to find the surgeon has made such an enormous mistake they feel betrayed, frustrated and angry beyond words. If you have suffered wrong-site surgery in Virginia, we can get you the justice you deserve. Call Shevlin Smith today at 703-721-4233 for your free medical malpractice consultation.