Hospitals And Surgeons May Be Responsible In Medical Malpractice Actions Where Objects Left Behind
Posted By San Francisco Personal Injury Lawyer on Dec 20, 2011 11:59am PST
Despite increased safety measures such as the adoption of specific protocols, the incidence of surgical errors continue to occur far to often. Types of surgical mistakes include medical mistakes such as operating on the wrong patient, operating on the wrong body part, and leaving objects behind.
In fact the Archives of Surgery report recent examples of serious medical errors including inserting a chest tube into the wrong lung, leading to the death of a patient, removing a healthy ovary, operating on the wrong side of the brain and several instances of leaving sponges and other instruments behind.
Recently, California news reported that UC Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla along with 13 other California hospitals was assessed administrative penalties as the result of errors that "caused or could cause serious injury or death to patients." Scripps Memorial has now received 6 penalties, tied with UC San Francisco Medical Center for receiving the 2d most penalties since California started issued them in 2007. Only Southwest Healthcare System in Riverside County has had more, with 7.
Errors at Scripps included leaving be a one-inch pin in a patient's neck.
If you believe you or a loved one has been injured due to a surgical error, it is important to contact an experienced San Francisco medical malpractice attorney immediately to begin an investigation into the circumstances surrounding your case and determine your next steps. Where it is determined that a medical malpractice caused your harm, it may be possible to recover compensation.
Since 2007 California has required hospitals to report when any of 28 "adverse events" occur at their hospital that put patients in immediate jeopardy of injury or death.
For more information, or if you believe you have been injured due to a surgical error or other medical mistake contact a skilled San Francisco medical malpractice lawyer at Bostwick & Peterson for an immediate confidential consultation.