It can be a frightening thought to go under the knife even after knowing that most surgeries are performed with flawless perfection. While most who require an invasive procedure to cure what ails them cross the finish line with flying colors, others aren’t so lucky. Operating room mishaps occur, and when they do, the devastating results can affect more than the unfortunate patient.
If you’ve been injured during a surgery that’s gone wrong, a medical malpractice expert from Friedin Brown lawyers team can help. During a free consultation, one of their compassionate and experienced personal injury attorneys can determine the best strategy to ensure that you receive justice and compensation.
How Surgical Medical Malpractice Effects Victims and Beyond
A surgeon’s slip of the wrist, performing surgery on the wrong body part, or neglectfully leaving behind a surgical instrument can wreak havoc on a patient and also their family. Even in today’s world of medical expertise, operating room mishaps still happen. This type of tragedy has a ripple effect and can cause lifelong damage and even death. Victims and their families are left to deal with the chaos caused by medical negligence. While certainly unfair, medical mistakes can happen at any time.
How a Medical Mistake Can Devastate a Victim
A surgical mishap can destroy a patient’s life. Unfortunately, the burden of proving this is placed upon the victim. No matter how obvious the mistake is, victims must provide evidence that medical malpractice has occurred and that it has caused them damages. Florida’s Medical Malpractice statute of limitations is a mere two years, so filing a lawsuit as soon as you believe you’ve been a victim is essential.
Victims of an operating room mistake could experience the following:
- Permanent disability
- PTSD
- Chronic pain
- Emotional trauma
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Nightmares and other sleeping disorders
- Loss of ability to earn an income
How a Medical Mistake Affects the Families of the Victim
While it’s evident that the victim of a surgical error affects victims, not much thought is placed on how a medical mistake affects their families. Those harmed by medical negligence could be not only affected physically, but it can also take a heavy toll on their emotional well-being. Both of these changes can negatively affect a family’s dynamic. Here’s a look at how it can harm a family.
- Loss of consortium – A surgical error can leave its victim without the emotional energy to provide love, companionship, and guidance to their dependents and loved ones. This can cause families to feel neglected and hurt.
- An increase in the family’s responsibilities – Sometimes, after an operating room error, victims can no longer handle the household responsibilities they once held. They may be unable to provide an income for their spouse and dependents, but they may also be unable to do regular household chores.
- Changes in behaviors – Medical malpractice victims may experience many emotional or behavioral changes. PTSD, depression, anger, and anxiety are all too common among those whose lives have been irreparably changed due to a surgical error. This leaves their families to cope with the mental health changes of the victim.
Medical Malpractice Can Harm Society
The ripple effect of hospital surgical errors can harm more than just its victims and the victim’s family. The rising costs of medical malpractice insurance can also affect patients. The expense of insurance premiums can cause doctors to push the costs onto their patients. Although initially, this expense is paid for by the patient’s healthcare insurance company, these companies will need to increase their premium rates over the long run. Any increase in healthcare coverage monthly costs harms everyone.
Doctors who fear a medical malpractice lawsuit may begin to practice “defensive medicine.” This occurs when a healthcare professional orders additional and sometimes unnecessary medical tests to ensure that their diagnosis and treatment plans are correct. The added insurance company expenses could lead to an increase in its premiums.
The Ripple Effects of Hospital Surgical Errors Explained
Operating room negligence harms its victims, the victim’s family, and eventually, all healthcare insurance holders. While these mistakes are unforgivable, they still occur. The harm they cause can affect everyone.
To seek accountability, justice, and compensation, it’s crucial for those injured during a medical procedure to retain an experienced medical malpractice lawyer. It’ll take the savvy of an experienced team of legal professionals to prove liability and damages.
