How Surgeons Can Commit Medical Malpractice

Every surgical procedure comes with a risk of injury or death. While a surgeon cannot be held liable for every risk or complication associated with surgery, those that resulted from a surgeon’s negligence are considered to be medical malpractice. If you have been injured during surgery or have had a failed surgery in Nevada, contact a medical malpractice lawyer immediately and read this article to learn more about how surgeons can commit medical malpractice.

Common Surgical Errors

There are many different errors that a surgeon can commit, which can lead to debilitating and lifelong complications for patients. These mistakes can occur immediately before, during, or immediately after surgery and include:

• Unnecessary procedure
• Performing the wrong surgery
• Operating on the wrong site
• Failing to remove surgical instruments
• Anesthesia errors
• Causing an infection
• Damaging nerves, arteries, and/or internal organs

Causes of Surgical Errors

If you’ve been a victim of surgical error, it’s important to understand the reasons why these mistakes can occur. Some of these causes include:

• Inadequate planning
• Failure to follow required steps
• Incompetence
• Miscommunication
• Fatigue
• Human error
• Drugs or alcohol
• Unsanitary conditions

Complications from Surgical Errors

Regardless of the cause of the mistake, surgical errors can lead to many debilitating complications for patients. Some common complications include the following:

• Nerve damage
• Organ damage
• Internal bleeding
• Scarring
• Disfigurement
• Disability
• Death

How Do I Prove Medical Malpractice?

To hold your surgeon liable for your failed surgery, it is not enough to demonstrate that mistakes were made. Rather, you must prove that medical malpractice was committed. Nevada law defines medical malpractice as a surgeon, nurse, or other hospital employee failing to perform the procedure using reasonable care.

Reasonable care is considered to be that which a reasonably prudent healthcare professional would exercise under similar circumstances. In other words, the error must be considered unreasonable to rise to the level of malpractice. There are certain inherent risks involved in any surgery, and more dangerous or invasive procedures (such as open-heart surgery) are reasonably assumed to have potentially serious complications.

How a Medical Malpractice Attorney Can Help

An experienced lawyer will have a strong understanding of Nevada malpractice law and be able to help apply them to your case. That means, among other things, determining if your claim is within the statute of limitations. In Nevada, the statute of limitations is three years from the date of malpractice or one year from the discovery of malpractice.

In addition, an attorney can help you file a malpractice lawsuit and bring a claim for damages. Your medical malpractice lawyer will be able to help you prove that you suffered damages and help you receive the maximum amount of compensation for your claim.

Contact a Nevada Medical Malpractice Attorney Today

If you have been injured as a result of a surgical error, you may be wondering if your surgeon has committed medical malpractice. To find out whether you have a medical malpractice claim, us at 702-819-7770 or contact us online.