Having surgery can be frightening and stressful, but learning that you endured a painful, expensive, and unnecessary procedure can be even more distressing. Unfortunately, unnecessary surgery is a shockingly common type of medical malpractice.
While not every instance of an unnecessary surgical procedure is grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit, if your surgeon or another member of your surgical team was negligent, you may be entitled to compensation. Here’s what you should know.
After undergoing an unneeded surgery, victims often wonder how something like this could happen. Some of the most common negligence-related reasons unnecessary operations are performed include:
- Doctors recommend unneeded procedures because it’s profitable for them or the hospital
- Doctors recommended surgical intervention, rather than less invasive treatments that may work just as well
- Doctors performed unnecessary surgeries on patients due to misdiagnosis
- Doctors performed the wrong surgical procedure on the wrong patient or body part
Any surgery can be risky, but unnecessary procedures put patients at risk of anesthesia side effects, serious infections, and other surgical complications for no reason. Victims of unnecessary surgery may face a long recovery during which they might be unable to work, adding to their financial losses.
Medical malpractice victims can seek compensation for economic and non-economic damages, but not all cases of unneeded surgery are legally actionable. To have grounds for a medical malpractice claim, the surgeon or medical provider must have deviated from the accepted standard of care in a way that a similarly-trained doctor wouldn’t have under comparable circumstances.
If you suffered an unnecessary surgery and resulting damages, it’s crucial to consult an experienced Georgia medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible.
Let Us Help You Protect Your Right to Recovery
After an unnecessary surgical procedure, Van Sant Law’s celebrated legal team can help you understand your rights and options, and protect your right to a fair financial recovery. Contact us today to schedule an appointment for a free, initial consultation to discuss the details of your case with one of our skilled attorneys. After reviewing the facts of your case, we’ll be able to tell you whether we think your case is actionable, as well as recommend the best course forward.
| Related Links: |