Medical Negligence in Post-Operative Treatment
Post-operative medical negligence can lead to serious complications. Learn about your rights and legal options if you or a loved one suffered due to improper care. A Westchester County medical malpractice attorney can help you seek justice and recover the compensation you deserve.
What is Post-Operative Medical Negligence?
Medical negligence in post-operative treatment occurs when a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care, resulting in avoidable harm to the patient. This can happen in hospitals, surgical centers, or outpatient care facilities. Common examples include:
- Failure to Monitor Vital Signs: After surgery, healthcare providers must monitor a patient’s blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels, and other vital signs. If abnormalities are ignored, a patient may suffer complications such as cardiac arrest or respiratory failure.
- Inadequate Infection Control: Proper wound care and hygiene are essential to prevent post-surgical infections. Failure to clean and dress wounds appropriately can lead to severe infections, including sepsis, which can be life-threatening.
- Delayed Diagnosis of Complications: Surgical complications such as internal bleeding, blood clots, and organ perforations require immediate medical attention. If doctors or nurses fail to recognize the signs, the patient may experience permanent damage or death.
- Medication Errors: Post-operative treatment often involves pain management and antibiotics. Administering the wrong medication or incorrect dosage can lead to severe adverse reactions, overdose, or untreated infections.
- Premature Discharge from the Hospital: Discharging a patient too soon without ensuring that they are stable can lead to complications that require emergency intervention. Patients who are not ready for discharge may suffer from severe pain, dehydration, or undetected surgical complications.
Potential Consequences of Post-Operative Negligence
Post-operative negligence can have devastating consequences, leaving patients with lasting health complications or financial burdens. For example:
- Severe infections or sepsis, requiring additional hospitalization.
- Organ damage or failure due to undiagnosed internal bleeding.
- Permanent disabilities from untreated complications.
- Psychological distress, including anxiety and post-traumatic stress.
- Increased medical expenses for corrective treatments, extended hospital stays, or additional surgeries.
How a Lawyer Can Help You
If you or a loved one suffered harm due to post-operative medical negligence, a White Plains Medical Malpractice Lawyer can help you seek justice and compensation. Here is how legal representation can be highly beneficial: Investigating the Case An attorney will gather medical records, consult expert witnesses, and analyze hospital policies to determine whether negligence occurred. Establishing Liability To prove medical malpractice, a lawyer must demonstrate that:
- A doctor-patient relationship existed.
- The healthcare provider failed to meet the standard of care.
- This failure directly caused harm.
Negotiating Settlements
Hospitals and insurance companies often attempt to minimize payouts. A skilled attorney negotiates on your behalf to secure fair compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Filing a Lawsuit
If a fair settlement cannot be reached, a lawyer can file a lawsuit and represent you in court, fighting for the justice and compensation you deserve. If you suspect that medical negligence played a role in your suffering, contact Fiedler Deutsch, LLP. Our trusted white plains medical malpractice lawyer can evaluate your case in a free consultation. Call (914) 993-0393 or message us online to get started.