Surgeons who operate on people have a duty to make sure that they remove all instruments and items from the patient when the surgery is done. When these medical professionals fail to take the steps necessary to ensure this is done, the patient is the one who suffers. When medical instruments and other items are left inside a patient and cause the patient harm, the patient has the right to seek compensation from the medical professional for medical malpractice or hospital malpractice. A recent case involving a Kentucky plastic surgeon is one that highlights this very issue.
The lawsuit is seeking an undisclosed amount in damages. It lists the doctor, Kentucky One Health, a hospital, a company that hosted the medical procedures, and St. Joseph Health System as defendants.
The plastic surgeon is accused of leaving five sponges in a woman after performing a medical procedure on her in July of 2013. The woman needed a debridement and skin graft on her left thigh. After the procedure was done, her pain remained. She ended up with fluid build-up and a staph infection.
Eventually, an ultrasound of the area found the problem that was causing the complications. After those five sponges were removed from the woman, she spent seven weeks in the hospital to partially heal. According to her attorney, she can’t stand on her left leg and will need more surgeries in the future.
This woman has to deal with considerable pain. She probably found the situation very frustrating. Now, she is seeking to hold those responsible accountable for the problems. While this won’t make her forget the problems, she might find that it does help her cover the costs of past and future medical care, as well as other expenses and damages.
Whether you are a victim of hospital negligence, surgical errors, medication errors, or doctor negligence, seeking compensation is your right. Knowing how to exercise your rights in Kentucky can help you to get started on the road to financial relief. If you or a loved one received injuries due to the negligence of a medical professional, reach out to one of the Kentucky medical malpractice lawyers at our Covington law firm, TLF: The Medical Injury Firm, today.
Source: Outpatient Surgery Magazine, “Plastic Surgeon Faces Malpractice Allegations” David Bernard, Jul. 24, 2014