Tragically, negligence in the medical field continues to be one of the leading causes of death and injury, not only in Kentucky, but across the United States. A medical malpractice lawsuit that was filed in another state recently resulted in a judgment of $6.8 million. The lawsuit was filed against an experienced surgeon after a woman died from a simple procedure to repair a hernia.
Reports indicate that the surgery was a laparoscopic procedure, which is less invasive than other forms of surgery. According to the lawsuit, the hiatal hernia surgery involved tightening an opening in the diaphragm of the patient, which prevented the stomach from moving. Apparently, the surgeon used tacks to hold mesh in order to close the opening in the diaphragm. The lawsuit said that this was a known risky procedure, as the tacks could potentially reach the heart of the patient.
Tragically, the patient died only two days following the procedure. The lawsuit claimed that an autopsy of the patient showed puncture marks in the patient’s heart that were caused by the tacks used by the surgeon. The lawsuit ended in favor of the plaintiff with the multi-million dollar judgment against the surgeon.
Doctors and surgeons in the state of Kentucky are required to have years of academic and on-the-job training in order to care for patients. However, this does not prevent medical malpractice from happening. Families who have been affected by medical negligence or malpractice could benefit by seeking the services of an experienced attorney. A successfully litigated lawsuit could result in a substantial award to help families cope with the trauma of this type of experience.