i had unnecessary surgery what kind of lawyer do i need

by Catharine Franecki 9 min read

To prove that a physician was negligent in recommending or ordering a surgery, a plaintiff's medical malpractice lawyer will consider all aspects of the plaintiff's course of care, and identify the proper medical expert witness to help build the case against the doctor.

If you suffered injuries after a surgical procedure and feel your surgery was unnecessary, you should immediately speak with a medical malpractice attorney before the statute of limitations runs out.Mar 8, 2022

Full Answer

Can a doctor be sued for performing unnecessary surgery?

Unnecessary medical procedure lawsuits can be difficult to resolve without the help of a lawyer. Experienced unnecessary surgery lawyers will already be familiar with the types of legal issues that arise in these cases, can interpret relevant complex laws, will understand highly technical language or medical jargon, and will know which legal arguments to make for commonly cited …

Is unnecessary surgery a form of medical malpractice?

Sep 03, 2020 · If you believe you had an unnecessary operation and you were injured, you need to contact a medical malpractice attorney in Atlanta. The team at Calvin Smith Law can assist you in understanding the law and protecting your rights. If you were harmed by a negligent surgeon or hospital, you deserve fair compensation.

What is an unnecessary surgery case?

Unnecessary Cardiac Surgery & Defective Stents. For any patient to suspect unnecessary cardiac procedure, it is prudent to contact a medical malpractice attorney to investigate. The Lyon Firm can obtain medical records and work with industry experts and cardiologists to determine the root cause of a cardiac injury.

Why do I need a medical malpractice attorney?

If you think you’ve had an unnecessary surgery, you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. This could help you pay for any necessary treatment you need after your operation. We understand how stressful an experience of medical negligence can be. But you don’t have to face it alone. First4Lawyers are here to help you through.

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Is Unnecessary surgery medical malpractice?

Every surgery, including a relatively minor one, carries a number of risks for the patient. And if an unnecessary surgery turns out to injure the patient, he or she may have a legal claim of medical malpractice. Malpractice lawsuits are complex matters that are best handled by experienced attorneys.Aug 25, 2021

What do you call unnecessary surgery?

Unnecessary Surgery Is Medical Malpractice.

What are some unnecessary surgeries?

Knee replacements, hysterectomies, and cesarean sections are among the other surgical procedures performed more often than needed, according to a review of in-depth studies and data generated by both government and academic sources.Jun 18, 2013

What are the 3 types of malpractice?

There are three common types of medical malpractice lawsuits – failure to make the correct diagnosis, birth injuries and medication errors. In this blog, we discuss these medical errors in order to help you determine whether you have suffered an injury as a result of medical negligence.Jul 24, 2017

What is the most common unnecessary surgery?

Bypasses are the single most commonly performed unnecessary surgery in the country," write Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Mark Liponis in Ultraprevention. Overprescribed and unnecessary, the complications from a severe treatment such as a bypass can cause additional medical issues, such as strokes.

How many surgeries are unnecessary?

The report was based on a review of government records and medical databases. Researchers found that unnecessary surgeries account for 10-20 percent of all operations in some specialties.

Can you sue for surgery complications?

A positive outcome is never guaranteed when a patient undergoes surgery. However, if a surgery patient suffers harm due to a preventable medical error, the injured patient and/or family members may be able to sue to recover compensation for their losses through a medical malpractice claim.Oct 6, 2020

How can I stop unnecessary surgery?

Four Ways to Avoid Undergoing Unnecessary SurgeryBe educated. Don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions to gain a better understanding of how the recommended procedure will help you in the long run. ... Know your doctor. ... Consider any alternative treatments. ... Prioritize a healthy lifestyle.Aug 14, 2020

Why do surgeons continue to perform unnecessary surgery?

The most intuitive solution is to avoid complications originating from surgical treatment that may not be indicated or beneficial for patients in the first place. In other words, avoiding unnecessary surgery could be considered the most pragmatic approach towards reducing preventable surgical complication rates.Jan 13, 2017

What qualifies as medical negligence?

When you put these terms together medical negligence – it is the act or omission by a medical professional that deviates from the accepted medical standard of care resulting in damages. The patient must prove that the negligence caused the damage. Examples of medical negligence are: Failure to diagnose or misdiagnosis.

What is classed as medical negligence?

Medical negligence is substandard care that's been provided by a medical professional to a patient, which has directly caused injury or caused an existing condition to get worse. There's a number of ways that medical negligence can happen such as misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment or surgical mistakes.

What is the most common type of lawsuit in healthcare?

In no particular order, the following are types of the most common medical malpractice claims:Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis.Failure to treat.Prescription drug errors.Surgical or procedural errors.Childbirth injuries.

Can surgery be harmful?

All surgeries come with risks but usually, the benefits outweigh the risks. On the other hand, unnecessary procedures can harm patients without providing any health benefits whatsoever. Patients can develop complications, experience side effects from anesthesia or pick up serious infections. Depending on the nature of the operation, they may face a long recovery period during which they can’t work and earn an income.

Is it bad to have surgery that you didn't need?

Healthcare professionals are supposed to make you better, not worse. Few things are more horrifying than undergoing a surgery that you didn’t actually need. It’s not merely an inconvenience; it can be very harmful. If you believe you had an unnecessary operation and you were injured, you need to contact a medical malpractice attorney in Atlanta.

What are the types of medical malpractice?

A surgical procedure can ultimately prove to be unnecessary in a variety of situations, but those that most often lead to a finding of medical malpractice involve: 1 a procedure stemming from a misdiagnosis that amounted to medical negligence 2 surgeries that lack informed consent from the patient 3 the doctor operating on the wrong body part, or on the wrong patient, and 4 scenarios in which there is a financial incentive for the doctor to recommend or perform a surgery that is not medically necessary.

How to prove medical negligence?

Using an Expert Witness to Prove Medical Negligence. To prove that a physician was negligent in recommending or ordering a surgery, a plaintiff's medical malpractice lawyer will consider all aspects of the plaintiff's course of care, and identify the proper medical expert witness to help build the case against the doctor.

Is there a medical malpractice case?

The answer largely depends on whether the doctor provided treatment and made decisions in line with the appropriate medical standard of care under the circumstances. If the answer is no, then there is a possible medical malpractice case.

Why do doctors perform surgery?

Maybe they are confident in their abilities and do not fully consider certain post-op risks. Less often, doctors have monetary incentives involved when medical device companies reward physicians for using products necessary in leg stent and heart stent procedures.

What is medical malpractice litigation?

In a growing area of medical malpractice litigation, injured plaintiffs and hospital negligence attorneys are filing unnecessary surgery lawsuits. Doctors and hospitals have been allegedly churning costs for patients and presenting unnecessary risks of surgical complications.

Can a doctor prescribe medication before placing a heart stent?

One study suggests that in over 40 percent of cases, doctors did not attempt to prescribe medication and lifestyle changes before choosing to place a heart stent. According to national treatment guidelines, cardiac stent placement is only recommended in patients whose arteries are around 70 percent blocked.

What is confidential settlement?

(Cincinnati, Ohio): Confidential settlement for a family due to a wrongful death. An emergency room physician failed to recognize the common symptoms associated with bowel obstruction and prescribed a contraindicated medicine of GoLytley. The patient died at home the day of discharge after taking the medication. The case against the emergency room physician was resolved by settlement following extensive discovery. The settlement was paid to the spouse and surviving adult children for the loss of their mother. While no amount of money could bring back their mother, the case provided answers and held the hospital accountable.

What was the case of Joe Lyon?

(Cincinnati, Ohio): Joe Lyon was second chair in a case involving the failure of a physician to promptly communicate a positive breast cancer result to a patient. As a result of the delay, the cancer progressed from in situ carcinoma to stage 3B with lymph node involvement. The treatment required mastectomy and radiation/ chemotherapy rather than a simple excision. The case settled after extensive discovery. The defense argued: “the patient should have called the physician.” The settlement provided recovery for suffering through a misdiagnosis and the loss of a spouse and a mother. While the settlement cannot bring this wonderful woman back, it helped her family move forward with life’s challenges and encouraged future accountability.

Why should I make an unnecessary surgery claim?

Surgery is a major medical procedure that requires significant recovery time. If you have been subjected to an operation that turned out to be unnecessary, you may be left feeling let down, distressed and even betrayed.

Is there a time limit for unnecessary surgery claims?

In most cases of surgical negligence, there is a time limit of three years to make a claim. This means you should ensure that you start your claim as soon as you can in order to submit it before the deadline.

I think I have an unnecessary surgery claim – what should I do?

If you think you’ve had an unnecessary surgery, you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. This could help you pay for any necessary treatment you need after your operation.

What are the elements of medical malpractice?

An attorney can help an injured patient show the three essential elements necessary in a successful medical malpractice claim: breach of duty, injury, and damages.

What is the statute of limitations in Florida?

The statute of limitations in Florida only provides injured patients a certain amount of time to bring a medical malpractice suit, so it is important to contact an attorney as soon as an injury is discovered.

What are some examples of surgical errors?

Some examples and causes of surgical error include: Performing surgery on the wrong part of the body; Performing unnecessary surgeries; Negligent use of surgical tools; Negligent sanitary preparation for surgery; Misreading or ignoring laboratory results; Failing to follow up with a patient after surgery;

What does "disregarding" mean?

Disregarding or not taking appropriate patient history. Unnecessarily delayed surgery, causing further complications; Negligently leaving surgical instruments, sponges, or towels in the patient; Failing to recognize symptoms, or misdiagnosing; Failing to advise a patient of all potential risks;

What are the medical malpractice charges in Indiana?

Multiple lawsuits have been initiated against three cardiologists and a hospital in Northwest Indiana. These medical malpractice charges involve unnecessary cardiac surgeries and other invasive procedures. According to news reports, the charges range from open heart surgery to pacemaker implantation. At least one person has died from complications related to the procedures.

How to get compensation for unnecessary surgery?

In order to receive compensation in an unnecessary surgery case, you will need to prove medical negligence. In order to prove negligence, your lawyer will need to obtain the medical history of treatment in relation to the unnecessary surgery. Some things to take into consideration when proving negligence for compensation:

What are the three categories of unnecessary surgery?

There are three broad categories of unnecessary surgery: the immoral, the incompetent and the indifferent . Doctors who perform needless operations to enrich themselves are the public face of the problem.

How many doctors have been paid for malpractice?

Since 2005, more than 1,000 doctors have made payments to settle or close malpractice claims in surgical cases that involved allegations of unnecessary or inappropriate procedures, according to a USA TODAY analysis of the U.S. government's National Practitioner Data Bank public use file, which tracks the suits.

How old was Jonathan Stelly when he fainted?

Jonathan Stelly was 22, a semi-pro baseball player aiming for the big leagues, when a fainting spell sent him to his cardiologist for tests. The doctor's office called afterward with shocking news: If Stelly wanted to live to age 30, he was told, he'd need a pacemaker.

Who is the founder of Citizens for Patient Safety?

Safety advocates say patients themselves must take an active role. "Don't just take a doctor's word," says Patty Skolnik , who founded Citizens for Patient Safety after her son, Michael, died at 22 from complications in what she says was unnecessary brain surgery.

Why is it important to have a family lawyer?

It is important in divorce cases for an individual to have a family lawyer representing them to ensure their rights are protected.

What is a lawyer?

A lawyer is an individual who is licensed to practice law in a state. Lawyers are also known as attorneys or an attorney at law. Some lawyers are licensed in multiple states. Some lawyers are admitted to practice at the Federal level as well.

Can a lawyer work in a law firm?

Lawyers can work in a law firm with other lawyers, with a partner, or practice by themselves in a solo practice. In most cases, a lawyer will be chosen based on the type of case, or practice area, and the location of the case. Lawyers can provide a wide range of services to their clients. Some lawyers handle many different types of cases.

What is criminal law?

Criminal law is the body of laws that pertain to crimes. Crimes are actions or behaviors prohibited by state or federal laws. Crimes are punishable by fines, probation, and/or imprisonment. Usually, crimes are categorized as misdemeanors or felonies.

Can a guilty plea affect immigration status?

Some guilty pleas, even to misdemeanor charges, can have long-term consequences. A guilty plea can also affect immigration status or lead to deportation of a non-citizen. It is important to remember that, in most cases, when an individual cannot afford a criminal lawyer, the court will appoint one to represent them.

What is civil matter?

Civil matters include contract disputes between businesses, real estate, and personal transactions. Unlike criminal cases, there is no determination of guilt or innocence. Usually, the parties may only recover monetary damages, including punitive damages in some cases.

Do I need a lawyer for a prenup?

In most cases, marriages do not require a lawyer but a prenuptial agreement should be reviewed by a lawyer. In some states, it is required, unless expressly waived, that an individual is represented before signing a prenuptial agreement. Many family law matters begin after a couple has been married.

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When Is Surgery Medically Unnecessary?

Using An Expert Witness to Prove Medical Negligence

  • To prove that a physician was negligent in recommending or ordering a surgery, a plaintiff's medical malpractice lawyer will consider all aspects of the plaintiff's course of care, and identify the proper medical expert witness to help build the case against the doctor. This expert (usually a current or former health care professional with expertis...
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Unnecessary Surgery Example

  • A patient complains of back pain, and the defendant surgeon proposes an operation to alleviate the discomfort. The surgeon tells the plaintiff that the operation has the following risk factors and complications: 1. a 50 percent chance that the patient's condition will improve 2. a 25 percent chance that the patient's condition will get worse, with risks ranging from death, to paralysis, to …
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