Maryland Attorney for Surgical Amputation Mistakes
When making preparations for a surgical procedure, we often hope that our surgeon will provide us with adequate medical care to ensure the operation goes smoothly. This is especially true if a patient needs to have an extremity amputated. Unfortunately, some surgeons can make terrible mistakes that can leave a patient with a permanent injury. If you were a victim of surgical amputation malpractice, you should consult with an experienced Maryland attorney for surgical amputation mistakes.
Rice, Murtha & Psoras can help you pursue a medical malpractice claim against a negligent surgeon that caused your injuries. Our firm serves residents of Baltimore, Lutherville, and Howard County, and we would be pleased to work with you. To schedule a free consultation, contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291, or contact us online.
Common Surgical Amputation Mistakes Made by Maryland Surgeons
There are various reasons why a person may require the amputation of a limb. One of the most common causes of limb amputation is that a person was involved in a serious accident. For example, an employee at an industrial facility that becomes pinned between heavy machinery may suffer a crushing injury that can only be treated by amputation. Other scenarios that may require a person to have an amputation include:
- Infection that threatens to spread through the body and cannot be treated with antibiotics
- Frostbite from remaining in extremely cold weather for long periods of time
- Cancerous tumors affecting an extremity
- Lost in combat while serving their country
- Issues involving poor circulation in a limb
Once your doctor determines that you are experiencing an illness that requires surgical amputation, they should begin to make preparations for your procedure after your consent. However, if a doctor does not exercise caution when preparing a patient for an amputation, they could cause a serious amputation mistake. Below is a list of common causes of surgical amputation mistakes.
Failure to Diagnose a Condition
We often expect that our doctors will be able to properly diagnose and treat any illness or condition that we are experiencing. However, some doctors may fail to diagnose a dangerous or life-threatening condition they should have discovered. For example, if a doctor misdiagnoses or fails to diagnose an infection that could cause a patient to lose a limb, this failure can change a person’s life. As a result, a patient may require amputation surgery for a limb they could have kept if their doctor’s diagnosis was timely.
Alternatively, a doctor could properly diagnose a condition that a patient is experiencing. Unfortunately, if a doctor does not prescribe the proper medication or treatment, the diagnosis may not help the patient at all.
Wrong-Side Amputation
Wrong-side amputation often occurs when a doctor or other healthcare professional makes a mistake regarding a patient’s medical chart. For example, if a patient is scheduled to have a left-leg amputation, and a doctor incorrectly marks it as a right leg amputation, the mistake may not be corrected until it is too late.
Wrong-side amputation can be devastating for a patient as they will have lost one limb and may still have to undergo another procedure to have the appropriate limb amputated. As a result, a patient could become disabled or even experience severe depression as they never imagined they would have an incorrect limb amputated.
There are other causes of surgical amputation mistakes that are not listed above. There may also be multiple parties that are liable for a patient’s injuries. To learn more about when to file a lawsuit for a surgical amputation error, you should continue reading and speak with an experienced Maryland medical malpractice lawyer.
When to File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit in MD
If you were the victim of a surgical amputation mistake in Maryland, you should speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Our firm can evaluate your case and begin helping you build a case against a negligent doctor or hospital.
It is important to note that medical malpractice lawsuits are subject to the statute of limitations. This means that a claimant only has a limited amount of time to file their case with a court. Specifically, an injured patient must file their claim within five years of the date when the injury was inflicted. In some cases, the statute of limitations can be three years from the date the injury was discovered. However, this would likely not apply for an amputation case where the doctor’s mistake would be obvious.
If a plaintiff fails to file their lawsuit within the five-year timeframe, it could allow a defendant to successfully request that the court bar the plaintiff’s lawsuit entirely. As a result, a claimant may have no other options to pursue compensation for their injuries.
Despite the length five-year filing deadline, an injured patient should not delay in speaking with an experienced attorney regarding the case. Bringing your case to an attorney when the statute of limitations quickly approaches on a complex case could negatively affect your case.
Contact Our Experienced Maryland Lawyer for Surgical Amputation Mistakes to Discuss Your Potential Claim
If you or a family member was severely injured due to a surgical error, you should consult with an experienced Maryland surgical amputation error lawyer. Personal injury lawyer Randolph Rice possesses extensive experience litigating a variety of complex injury claims, and he is ready to fight for you. To schedule a free case evaluation to discuss your claim, contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.
