Putting Our Knowledge And Experience To Work
Plastic Surgery Malpractice Lawyers
Medical Malpractice Attorneys for Cosmetic Surgery Errors in Ohio and Northern Kentucky
Many people all over the world undergo cosmetic procedures for one reason or another. Whether they’re looking to improve their appearance past what they are physically able to do on their own or to return their body to its former state, plastic surgery can help increase a person’s self-esteem and overall happiness. When these procedures go wrong, however, they can have devastating physical and emotional effects.
Since cosmetic surgery is often elective, it can be hard for injured patients to hold negligent medical professionals liable in a cosmetic medical malpractice case. In order to recover compensation for things like medical expenses, lost wages, and non-economic damages, you’re going to need an experienced attorney to take on your case.
If you or a loved one has suffered from injuries as a result of a negligent cosmetic surgeon, call the Northern Kentucky and Ohio medical malpractice attorneys at TLF: The Medical Injury Law Firm. With over 50 years of experience trying medical malpractice cases, you can rest easy knowing your case is in good hands. Call us toll-free at (800) 698-4054 and schedule a free case evaluation with one of our cosmetic surgery malpractice attorneys today.
What is Plastic Surgery Malpractice?
Plastic surgery is the practice of changing, augmenting, or removing parts of the body in order to achieve a specific aesthetic outcome. This includes any reconstructive or cosmetic surgery procedure aimed to help someone achieve a certain physical look. Plastic surgery procedures are done by real medical doctors and other certified health care professionals, but they are often done outside of a hospital setting.
Like any surgical procedure, almost every cosmetic surgery procedure has serious risks, including infection, permanent nerve damage, and disfigurement. While some plastic or cosmetic surgery procedures are minimally invasive and relatively fast, others require more lengthy procedures, which can leave additional room for error.
When negligent physicians, nurses, or other medical professionals make mistakes during a surgical procedure, they can be found liable for any damages they cause through a medical malpractice claim or a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Common Plastic Surgery Procedures
While not all cosmetic procedures require surgery, they often fall under the umbrella term “plastic surgery.” Some of the most common cosmetic procedures include:
- Facelifts
- Liposuction procedures
- Skin rejuvenation and laser treatments
- Tummy tucks
- Breast augmentations
- Rhinoplasty (nose job) procedures
- Injections
Potential Injuries and Complications from Cosmetic Surgery Malpractice
Mistakes during cosmetic procedures can result in various outcomes, ranging from small aesthetic problems to life-threatening complications, depending on the error. Things like surgical errors can lead to nerve damage, which can cause paralysis and loss of function, and tissue damage, which can result in dead tissue. Additionally, if the cosmetic surgeon makes a mistake that causes excessive bleeding or bruising, the patient may experience skin discoloration around the surgical site.
Other common injuries include disfigurement, leading to emotional trauma as well as future cosmetic procedures to try and reverse the damage. Also, if a doctor operates on the wrong body part, they can cause unnecessary stress and pain to their patient, which can also result in emotional distress and require additional procedures.
Plastic surgeons aren’t always the only ones to blame, however. Oftentimes, nurse anesthetists are tasked with ensuring the patient is able to breathe during the operation, but will not feel pain. Anesthesia mistakes can cause the patient to experience severe pain during the procedure. They can also cause the patient to stop breathing, which can lead to permanent brain damage or even wrongful death.
Risk Factors Plastic Surgeons Should Look Out For
Before any medical procedure, the doctor should evaluate a person’s full medical history to ensure that they are a good candidate for the procedure they’re looking to have done. Otherwise, the patient may be at a higher risk of injury, increasing the likelihood of surgical complications.
Plastic surgery is no exception–cosmetic surgeons should evaluate their patient’s overall health in order to avoid additional risks. Some of the things they may look out for are underlying health issues, high BMI, and a history of surgical complications.
Some cosmetic surgeons may ask their patients if they are planning to have children in the future. If so, their surgeon may be able to take additional precautions in order to reduce future complications with carrying a child or breastfeeding. The doctor may also recommend holding off on the procedure until after birth, since pregnancy can affect the body in a lot of ways and can also impact cosmetic surgical outcomes.
Elements Required for a Cosmetic Surgery Malpractice Lawsuit
In order for a plastic surgery malpractice claim to be valid, the case has to have all four elements of negligence present. All medical malpractice claims must establish the following:
- Duty of care, which is the responsibility that a doctor has to their patients, which states that they must minimize harm towards their patients;
- Breach of duty, which occurs when the doctor acts in a way that can cause harm to one of their patients;
- Causation, which means that the victim’s injury directly resulted from the doctor’s breach of duty; and
- Damages, which are the losses the victim suffered from as a result of their injury.
If you have suffered an injury following a plastic surgery procedure, you must be able to prove that your doctor breached the standard of care. This can be difficult without a skilled plastic surgery malpractice law firm on your side.
What Damages Are Available in a Cosmetic Surgery Malpractice Case?
A plastic surgery malpractice claim can allow victims to recover compensation for both economic and non-economic damages following their injury. Injured patients may be able to receive financial compensation for damages such as:
- Medical expenses;
- Lost wages;
- Medical bills for future corrective procedures;
- Punitive damages;
- Physical pain and suffering;
- Loss of enjoyment of life;
- Disfigurement;
- Mental anguish; and
- Funeral and burial expenses, in the event of a wrongful death.
In order to receive the maximum compensation possible, you’ll need an experienced medical malpractice lawyer on your side. TLF is proud to serve clients in both Kentucky and Ohio. If you have been injured during a plastic surgery procedure, we can help you file a claim for compensation so that you can move on with your life.
How the Ohio and Northern Kentucky Medical Malpractice Lawyers at TLF Can Help
Plastic surgeons have a responsibility to provide their patients with the utmost care in order to protect them from harm. When they fail to do so, they can cause serious personal injury or even wrongful death and may be found liable in a medical malpractice lawsuit.
If you have suffered from serious injury as a result of a negligent plastic surgeon or other medical professional, the medical malpractice attorneys at TLF: The Medical Injury Law Firm can help you receive fair compensation. Fill out our online form or call us toll-free at (800) 698-4054 and schedule a free consultation with a cosmetic surgery malpractice lawyer today.
Practice Areas
You Pay No Fees Unless We Win!
We are happy to offer a free consultation to evaluate your case. If you hire us as your legal counsel, we will represent you on a contingency-fee basis. You will pay no attorneys’ fees unless we recover financial damages.