Surgical Negligence Claims

Surgical Negligence

In the United Kingdom we are blessed with one of the best healthcare systems in the world.

We’re fortunate that some of the world’s best doctors and surgeons come to Britain to train, and many stay on and forge brilliant careers within our National Health Service. Sadly, no matter how brilliant someone is, they are human beings and therefore capable of making mistakes.

As rare as these mistakes are, in some cases they can have a significant impact on the quality of life of the affected patient and their family and so, when these events do take place, there must be some kind of remedial action that can be taken. In some cases, depending on the severity of the outcome from the mistake, an apology might suffice, but in a lot of cases the appropriate action is to claim compensation for the damage and suffering caused.

If the mistake has led to a small amount of discomfort or inconvenience, then the amount of compensation they could be eligible for could be quite small. However, in cases where serious mistakes have been made and patients’ lives have been permanently changed for the worse, the figures involved can be very large indeed – particularly if the patient will need ongoing care as a result of the mistake.

Surgery on Incorrect Area

The NHS refer to ‘Wrong Site Surgery’ as a “Never Event”, yet every year there are a large number of cases where operations are performed on the wrong part of the body, in some cases even on the wrong patient.

If this happened to you, or someone you care for, you will undoubtedly want some kind of redress – find out more here.

Failed Surgery

Certain types of surgery have higher failure rates than others and this can be for a variety of reasons. In some cases it is due to the actions of the patient after the surgery has been completed, but in many cases the blame lies entirely with the surgical team who carried out the operation. This can mean that pain is worse than before the surgery, that further operations might be needed to fix the problems caused, and that healing time is greatly increased and quality of life reduced.

If you have been affected by failed surgery you can find out more about the help available to you here.

Surgical Delay

Sometimes when a treatment is necessary there are legitimate reasons as to why it cannot be carried out immediately. In some cases this is due to the physical location of the patient; perhaps in the aftermath of a car accident for example, when the ambulance team do not have the correct skills, apparatus or set-up to perform an operation on-site.

However there are far too many situations where the delay is caused by other issues such as a failure to understand the nature of the injury or resource issues such as the unavailability of a suitable operating theatre or appropriately trained or experienced personnel.

If delayed surgery has affected you or someone you care for, you can learn more about the help available here.

Avoidable Amputations

There are times when the safest course of action is to amputate an infected digit or limb to stop infection spreading into the rest of the body – however there are many occasions where suitable treatment prior to the amputation could have saved the patient from losing that part of their body.

In some cases this comes down to how long the patient waited before informing a doctor, but sadly there are a lot of cases where the doctor was informed at the appropriate time, but delays in treatment or poor advice led to the situation escalating and amputation becoming necessary. Whether necessary or not, amputation is a huge ordeal for anyone and so it should obviously be avoided where possible.

If you or someone you care for has had an amputation that should have been avoided, you can find out more about the help available here.

Negligent Hysterectomies

A hysterectomy is a medical procedure to remove a woman’s womb and while most procedures are performed safely, there are a range of issues that can arise due to the delicate nature of the operation.

The most common risks during the operation include damage to the bladder or bowel that can cause leakage and on-going problems, damage to the ureter, or the development of an infection. In some cases these issues might cause a little discomfort, but in others they can lead to constant pain, scars, depression and even death in some rare circumstances.

If you or someone you care for has suffered as the result of a negligent hysterectomy you can find out more about the help available here.

Negligent Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery is the surgery carried out for the benefit of appearance. In some cases this can be purely for aesthetic reasons such as augmenting breasts, removing skin or fat, or changing the appearance of your face. In other cases reconstructive surgery can be to help those who have been disfigured in some way to improve their self-esteem and aid them on the way to recovery.

As with all types of surgery, when mistakes are made the outcome can be devastating. One of the challenges with cosmetic surgery is that a lot of people think they are experts in simple procedures, yet when these procedures go wrong they do not have the medical know-how or equipment to resolve the problem. Negligent cosmetic surgery can leave a patient not only in pain, but also suffering the effects of their appearance being affected, which can cause a significant psychological impact.

If you or someone you care for has suffered as a result of negligent cosmetic surgery you can find out more about the help available here.

Surgical Items Not Removed From Patient’s Body

During the course of operations there is commonly a wide range of tools and implements that are necessary to achieve the required results; scalpels, drills, cameras, clamps and other equipment are all invaluable during the surgical procedure.

Sadly sometimes the pieces of equipment are not counted in and counted out correctly meaning that items are left within a patient’s body after the operation has concluded. Metal clips, needles, gauze, sponges and even scissors have been known to have been left inside patient’s bodies, and while the NHS refers to these as “Never Events”, they have been known to occur five times per week in hospitals across the UK on average.  In some cases the offending article can be removed during a subsequent operation, but in others they can lead to persistent suffering, or even death.

If you or someone you care for has been affected by this type of negligence you can find out more about the help available here.