Undergoing an operation is stressful and worrying and the last thing you want is for something to go wrong. No surgical procedure is without its risks though. However, when an error by a surgeon or other member of staff results in injury or further damage to your health, you can claim damages for medical negligence. Medical negligence cases can be quite complicated so if you believe you have been the victim of surgical error, it is important to speak to a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible.
What is a surgical error?
Errors in surgery can vary from minor mishaps, such as a dentist cracking an adjacent tooth, to serious mistakes, such as performing the wrong operation or damaging nerves or arteries during a procedure. In addition, mistakes don’t just occur while you are on the operating table. Post-surgery, lack of care or negligence can result in infections or other complications. In fact, surgical errors can be the result medical professionals participating in all sorts of negligent behaviour and the implications can be severe.
How much compensation could I get?
The amount of compensation you can claim for surgical errors depends on how seriously you were injured or how badly your health has been affected. In some cases, you may have to undergo another operation to put things right and any damages you receive will reflect this additional pain and suffering. In other cases, a surgical error may affect you for the rest of your life, which will also be reflected in any compensation you receive. In medical negligence cases, compensation is not just awarded for physical pain and suffering but also for any psychological trauma that a surgical error has caused.
Will any financial losses be covered?
Compensation doesn’t just reflect the pain and suffering caused by a surgical error; you can claim for any financial implications that arose because of the error, such as time off work and loss of earnings, or travel costs for going to and from hospital. For private medical treatment, you can also claim back the costs of any procedure if a surgical error has occurred.
