It is a scary thing to imagine, a foreign body – a cotton ball, sponge, or even a sharp – left inside your body after you trusted a doctor to perform surgery.
There haven’t been many surveys done to accurately reflect how often this surgical error happens, which is why it’s all the more important you retain the services of a medical malpractice attorney in Clearwater if you think it has happened to you.
Surgical errors lead to Florida medical malpractice lawsuits. Hurried doctors and relatively long days are part of the problem when a health care provider accidentally leaves a foreign body in you after surgery. But make no mistake, there is no excuse for negligence and that is what retained foreign bodies constitute under medical law.
Most Common Retained Foreign Bodies
- surgical sponges;
- pins;
- blades;
- clips;
- gauze;
- cotton; and
- other medical instruments.
You can suffer from life-threatening internal bleeding because of damaged organs, blood vessels or tissue because of something that a doctor forgot to remove before he or she sewed your sutures after surgery. Please note, there are always risks in any medical procedure, that is why you are asked to sign consent forms. It’s important to realize that your surgeon or medical practitioner is not always responsible for adverse results stemming from your procedure. To have a legitimate medical malpractice claim, your surgeon or doctor had to have been grossly negligent.
Also, in order to prove a medical malpractice case you must have a witness, an expert in the medical field or related area, that is willing to testify on your behalf. Without one there is no chance of trying, let alone winning, your case.
But it is not only the doctor who could be at fault. Any supplemental health care providers, like nurses and anesthesiologists can also be held responsible for your surgical errors. They work as a team for your welfare.
When your Florida health care providers fail and cause you more harm than good, it is time to rely on a medical malpractice attorney for financial compensation. While you are recovering from your injuries your attorney can take care of the legal paperwork relating to your claim.
Contact us online or call us directly at 888-207-0905 for a free evaluation of your case. We are happy to answer any questions you may have. Even if we are unable to take on your case, we always do our best to suggest other attorneys who can assist you.