Surgery itself can be scary. Though it is meant to help you, sometimes it doesn’t go as planned. Medical professionals may make a mistake, including performing the surgery on the wrong side of your body.
If this happened to you, you likely had to endure an additional surgery, this time on the correct side. You were under anesthesia for twice as long as originally intended, and you have a longer recovery than expected as a result.
A lack of communication, mistakes in your medical records or something as simple as reading an X-ray when it’s reversed can lead to mistakes such as operating on the wrong side of a patient. When that happens, it can mean that the patient has to go through more pain and additional complications than they would have been at risk for with appropriate care.
Whom can you hold liable for mistakes that impact you as a patient?
If mistakes affect you and cause you injuries along with additional financial losses, you may want to look into holding certain parties accountable. In some cases, it may be a medical provider or assistant who is held liable for their role in your injuries. You may also be able to pursue a claim against the hospital because of vicarious liability laws.
What kinds of documents will you want to get if you intend to file a medical malpractice case?
It isn’t fair that you’ve had to go through all you’ve been through at this point, which is why you should take time to speak with your attorney about the documents that you will need for your case.
Some of the documents that your attorney may ask you for or collect on your behalf with your approval include:
- Test results
- Records from the surgery
- Medical records from prior to the surgery
- Photographs of the injuries you’ve suffered
- Receipts for medical care, travel and related expenses
- A letter or document from another industry professional who agrees that the standard of care that should have been provided was not met
- Any other kinds of documents that may support your case
Something as serious as a wrong-site surgery should never happen. This “never event” is something that hospitals and their employees should be working hard to avoid. If you’re a victim of one, there is a serious lack of communication between the health care providers that must be addressed.