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Medical mistakes are a part of healthcare. Sadly, though, many of these mistakes can be avoided, and should they happen and innocent people suffer from these mistakes, laws are in place to hold the doctors accountable. You may have even seen this kind of scenario played out on a legal television show. If you have suffered from a medical mistake in the Washington DC metro area, the Washington DC personal injury lawyers at Injury Law Education Center, PC, can help you obtain the compensation you deserve.

One serious medical mistake occurs when a foreign object is left in a patient’s body during surgery when it should have been removed. One of the most common foreign objects left in a patient’s body is a sponge. Sponges are used during surgery to absorb blood. One such example of this occurred after a mother delivered a baby via Caesarean section. After delivery, she experienced severe pain and her abdomen was highly distended. An x-ray revealed that a surgical sponge was left in her abdomen. This mistake led to the mandatory requirement of long-term medication use, and compromised her ability to have children in the future. A similar incident occurred with a 12-year-old boy, who developed an infection after having his appendix removed. He experienced severe pain and high fever and, again, the cause was a sponge lodged in his abdomen. Both of these incidents were preventable–these were not complex medical procedures. Before and after a surgery, the protocol is for medical professionals to account for all medical supplies used during the procedure. This method is clear and easy to follow but it is not foolproof against human error. Technology, such as sponge tracking, exists that would add a mere 8-12 dollars to the cost of surgery, while saving hospitals hundreds of thousands in malpractice costs.

Surgery is serious and frightening in and of itself but often the post-operative risks are most severe. However hospitals across America are seemingly more concerned with preventing bacterial infections and other mishaps than with investing in and requiring the use of surgical device tracking technology.

The issues of a foreign object being left in the body becomes even more problematic because it can take months or even years for a patient to experience symptoms leading to the discovery of a foreign body present in his or her system. This makes it difficult to trace the error back to a particular hospital, doctor or procedure.

Medical malpractice cases require an experienced legal professional’s careful analysis. That is why it is best to work with a knowledgeable and reputable medical mistakes attorney in Washington DC.

Medical mistakes such as retention of a foreign object can lead to life-long pain and suffering, internal organ damage, infection, and even death. If you or a loved one has experienced any of these complications due to a foreign object left in your body after surgery, consult with an experienced medical mistakes lawyer in Washington DC. Contact Injury Law Education Center PC for a free consultation. Our attorneys are here to help.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys DC

Medical malpractice lawsuits in Washington DC and throughout the nation have garnered a great deal of media attention over the past few years. Medical malpractice lawsuits protect the rights of victims of negligence. Everyone, including doctors, inevitably makes medical mistakes, and medical malpractice lawyers are there to make victims whole after a medical error tragically alters their lives.

There are many different types of medical malpractice cases. Some deal with tasks that a physician has done improperly, i.e. severing an artery or damaging an internal organ during an operation. Some medical malpractice cases are based on what a doctor did not do, such as failing to diagnose cancer. Although they come in many forms, all medical malpractice cases have one thing in common: a negligent physician causing injury to an innocent victim. To prove a medical malpractice case, the injured party must be able to demonstrate that a doctor did not meet the established standard of care at some point during their medical treatment. The standard of care can be defined as how a prudent physician would have managed a patient’s care under the same or similar circumstances. Establishing a failure to meet this standard is a critical aspect of a successful medical malpractice case.

No matter how careful you are and how much research you do before selecting a medical provider, mistakes happen and you can find yourself in one of the types of medical malpractice cases mentioned above.  In fact, there are between 15,000 and 19,000 medical malpractice lawsuits in the United States each year alone.  This is why it is important to keep copies of your medical records and transactions: the more information your attorney has regarding your treatment and care, the more likely it is that he or she will be able to prove your case.

If you believe that you or someone you know has been the victim of medical malpractice, it is critical that you contact a qualified medical malpractice attorney as soon possible to ensure that important deadlines in your case do not expire. A skilled medical malpractice lawyer will make sure that you receive all of the compensation to which you are entitled.