What is surgical malpractice?
Surgical malpractice happens when a surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurse, hospital or surgical center fails to meet accepted standards before, during or after a procedure and that failure causes avoidable injury.
Quick answer
A surgical error may support a malpractice claim when the mistake was preventable, caused harm and can be tied to a failure in planning, communication, technique, monitoring, anesthesia care or post-operative response.
Examples of surgical errors
- Wrong-site, wrong-procedure or wrong-patient surgery
- Retained surgical objects
- Uncontrolled bleeding or failure to repair an intraoperative injury
- Anesthesia overdose, underdose or monitoring failure
- Organ, nerve, tissue or blood vessel damage
- Failure to recognize and treat post-surgical complications
Who may be responsible?
Responsibility can extend beyond the surgeon. Depending on the facts, a claim may involve anesthesiologists, nurses, residents, hospitals, surgical centers, device manufacturers or multiple providers whose communication failures contributed to the injury.
Evidence that can matter
Important evidence may include operative reports, consent forms, anesthesia records, nursing notes, imaging, pathology, device logs, medication records, post-operative orders and expert review of whether the surgical team acted within accepted standards.
Frequently asked questions about surgical error claims
Is every surgical complication malpractice?
No. Some complications can happen even with appropriate care. A malpractice case focuses on whether a preventable mistake or unacceptable delay caused injury.
What injuries can surgical errors cause?
Surgical errors can cause infection, internal bleeding, organ damage, nerve damage, brain injury, chronic pain, additional surgeries, disability or death.
Can anesthesia errors be part of a surgical malpractice case?
Yes. Anesthesia errors can involve dosing mistakes, failure to monitor vital signs, airway problems, allergic reactions, medication conflicts or equipment issues.
Why call a lawyer quickly?
Early investigation helps preserve records, witness accounts, device information and expert analysis. Pennsylvania medical malpractice cases also involve strict procedural requirements.
Speak with a Pittsburgh surgical error attorney
Call 412-546-5220 to request a free consultation with Phillips Froetschel, LLC.
