A report suggests that surgical “never events,” such as wrong-site surgeries and retained objects, still happen with troubling frequency in the U.S. These mistakes often involve complex factors and the report cautions that eliminating them will be highly challenging. A “never event” surgical error involves medical mistakes such as leaving a foreign object in the body of a patient or performing the wrong procedure, and when a never event occurs an injured patient may be entitled to compensation for his or her injuries with the assistance of medical malpractice lawyers.
If you or a loved one was injured due to the fault of a healthcare provider, contact Attorney Group for more information. We offer free, no-obligation consultations and can inform you of your options. If you decide to pursue a claim, we can connect you with an affiliated medical malpractice attorney.
Important: The time you have to pursue a claim is limited. Contact us for more information.
Study: Communication Issues Common Factor In Many Surgery Errors
A June 2015 report published in JAMA Surgery concludes that surgical never events, although relatively uncommon, still occur at alarming rates in the U.S. According to Fox News, the report took into account 138 other studies that were published between 2004 and 2014. Based on those studies, the researchers found that patients retain objects in about one in 10,000 surgical procedures. Additionally, doctors operate on the wrong body part or patient in about one out of 100,000 procedures. The researchers also observed that the frequency of never events varies largely based on the type of surgery.
The researchers noted that the factors underlying most never events were complex, but communication breakdowns were a frequent cause of errors. Mistakes were more likely to occur when surgical staff members didn’t receive enough information, failed to understand one another, concealed misgivings or ignored the concerns of other staff members. These communication issues were an especially common factor in wrong-site procedures, the website reported.
Affected Patients May Be Entitled to Compensation
Patients who have been injured due to the fault of a healthcare provider may be entitled to compensation. Damages may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical expenses
- Mental anguish
If a patient dies as a result of a healthcare provider’s mistake, family members may be able to pursue wrongful death claims. These kinds of damages can include:
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Medical expenses attributable to the injury
- Conscious pain and suffering of a loved one prior to death
Affected families are encouraged to speak with a medical malpractice lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us For More Information
If you or a loved one was injured due to the fault of a healthcare provider, contact Attorney Group for more information. You can fill out the form on this page, call us at the number listed at the top of the page, or email us at info@attorneygroup.com.
When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or answer questions that you may have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and contact Attorney Group today.
