West Virginia Lawyers Fight for Clients when Doctors Leave Foreign Objects in a Patient's Body
Medical malpractice attorneys represent patients when surgical doctors are negligent
Many health care professionals are required for one surgery. Many surgical tools and devices are required too. Sometimes the medical team thinks that addressing the medical problem ends their duties. That is not the case. The medical care operating team needs to make sure that they check that nothing is left in the patient that should be removed. Items left in the body can cause infection and severe complications. Some complications can be catastrophic.
West Virginia residents who have surgeries that cause harm can rely on the lawyers at Paulson & Nace, PLLC. Our team of West Virginia surgical malpractice attorneys understands why items might be left in a patient. We know what symptoms to review, which causes of medical error to analyze, and how to prove that the items were left due to medical malpractice. Our lawyers have over 40 years of experience in developing successful legal cases including surgical error cases. We have obtained large verdicts and settlements, sometimes over a million dollars. If the operating team left a foreign device in your body, our lawyers may be able to get you or your loved one a significant recovery.
Examples of foreign objects left inside patients
The Paulson & Nace team of West Virginia lawyers work with doctors, nurses, and medical practitioners to determine why a medical error happened. Through our past practice and our work with these professionals, our attorneys know what objects are often left in a patient’s body and the complications that those foreign bodies can cause a patient. Some common items the surgical team fails to check for are:
- Bandages
- Sponges
- Surgical gauze, tape, and clips
- Broken heart valves and broken or defective stents
- Needles
- Surgical gloves
There is no excuse for leaving an object in a patient. Doctors and hospitals should keep a checklist of every object that might be left in a patient. They should check to see if they have those objects before closing up the patient. While it may seem obvious, there are more cases of doctors committing this completely sloppy mistake than health care professionals would like to admit.
Complications from foreign objects
Some of the many concerns about leaving foreign objects in a patient include:
- Infection. Getting an infection is the most common complication from leaving a foreign device inside a patient. This risk increases if the foreign object was not sterilized. Bacterial infections can cause illness, permanent harm, and even death.
- Organ damage. Some objects, such as needles, can cause bleeding, organ damage, or can even perforate an organ. Objects left in a body can move around and cause damage anywhere. Sharp objects are especially dangerous.
- Death. Some patients die because the item is not recovered quickly.
- The need for a second surgery. If an object is left in a patient’s body, it is risky to leave the object in the patient. Problems can occur immediately, but they might also occur years later. A second surgery is often needed to retrieve the object. Because each surgery is dangerous, the second surgery can also cause the patient severe physical and emotional distress.
At Paulson & Nace, our West Virginia lawyers hold all the members of the surgical team responsible, including hospitals. Foreign objects should never be left inside the patient. Our lawyers verify which object was left, direct the patient to medical professionals who can correct the problem, and fight to hold every medical professional who was involved accountable. We have received numerous awards for their legal work on behalf of personal injury clients. We guide patients and families to a just and fair result.
West Virginia advocates for patients wronged by careless surgical teams
Paulson & Nace, PLLC’s distinguished family of medical malpractice attorneys offers the compassionate, personal, and professional attention you deserve. We are widely recognized throughout West Virginia for both our comprehensive legal services and our aggressive advocacy for patients who have suffered from surgical errors. When you choose a qualified medical malpractice lawyer from our practice to represent you, you are choosing a team that values families and family relationships. Please call 304-741-8079 or fill out our contact form to tell us your story in a no-obligation consultation. Our office is located at 3501 Maccorkle Ave SE, Charleston, WV 25304.
We have dedicated our lives to helping medical malpractice victims and their families. Now, let our family help you and yours.