Chicago Surgical Error Lawyers

Surgery on Wrong Patient

It is difficult to imagine a more damaging mistake that a hospital could make than performing a surgical procedure on the wrong patient. Both the patient who receives the surgery and the patient who needs it can suffer serious injury or even death as a result of this very basic error. Although it is hard to imagine this happening even once in a modern day hospital, some studies estimate that over 1000 Americans receive an incorrectly done surgical procedure every year.

Consequences of Surgery on Wrong Patient

The health complications created by surgery on the wrong patient are often severe. Potential effects for the patient who receives the surgery are:

• Unnecessary removal of organs or extremities
• Severe, possibly chronic pain
• Disability
• Worsening of actual health problem
• Death

Naturally, the patient who was meant to receive the surgery can also suffer serious consequences. In some cases, the delay in their needed treatment can cause long-lasting health problems or even death.

Medical Malpractice

Although it is difficult to understand how a surgeon could mistakenly operate on the wrong person, hospitals and various studies have pointed to a variety of culprits, including:

• Poor communication between hospital staff
• The lack of a clear system for sharing and double-checking patient information
• Overworked or exhausted surgical staff

No matter what the cause, it is the duty of a responsible hospital to enforce a plan for preventing these errors, and the duty of hospital workers to closely follow that plan. Failure to do so will make healthcare workers legally responsible for any injuries that their negligent behaviors inflict on patients.

Contact Us

If you or a loved one has been injured by a surgery performed on the wrong patient, you may have grounds for a Chicago medical malpractice lawsuit. For more information, contact Chicago surgical error attorneys Friedman & Bonebrake at 312-466-8200.