Medical Malpractice Attorney Discusses Wrong Site Surgery: Why This Surgical Error Can be Your Biggest Enemy

In the movies, we see stories of doctors operating on the wrong leg, taking out the wrong organ, or doing a completely different operation.  With over 51 million surgical procedures performed in the United States each year, we like to think that wrong site surgeries are just a mythical beast created by Hollywood.

But that isn’t true.  The Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare conducted a Wrong Site Surgery Project, which found that as many as forty (40) wrong site surgeries are performed each week in the United States.  Despite the extra precautions taken by hospitals and health care providers, wrong site surgery experts have discovered that these mistakes are increasing—not decreasing—each year.

Wrong site surgeries are a type of medical malpractice and are considered to be surgical errors.  Experts have classified four categories of surgical errors.  These types are 1) foreign objects left inside of the body, 2) wrong procedures in general, 3) wrong site surgeries, and 4) wrong patient surgeries.

Wrong site surgeries know no bounds in the United States. As experienced Tennessee medical malpractice attorneys, we have seen many wrong site surgery cases.  The vast majority of these types of errors can easily be prevented, and usually occur due to health care provider inexperience, a provider’s unnecessary rushing, breakdown of hospital protocol, or a total lack of competent protocol or competent providers.  This means that, if these types of errors are easily preventable, it is very likely that medical negligence and malpractice has occurred against you or a loved one.

There are many different examples of wrong site surgery that could be considered Tennessee medical malpractice.  The three largest categories include the following:

• Operating on the wrong side (i.e., left hand when supposed to be right hand);
• Operating on the correct side, but wrong location (i.e., right big toe when it is supposed to be the right middle toe); and
• Performing the wrong procedure (i.e., repairing partial rotator cuff tear but supposed to just clear scar tissue).

It is very important to immediately contact a Tennessee medical malpractice attorney when you suspect there has been a wrong site surgery.  Two weeks ago, we discussed how the statute of limitations in Tennessee medical malpractice cases is merely one (1) year from the date of the incident, with some narrow exceptions.  Particularly with wrong site surgeries, it is imperative that your experienced attorney meets with you and has the opportunity to review all of the facts and circumstances regarding the incident as soon as possible.  Not only will your case be barred after one (1) year, but the longer the evidence and facts go without evaluation, the more likely they will be destroyed or faded in witnesses’ memory.

Here are Bailey and Greer, PLLC our Tennessee medical malpractice attorneys understand how to effectively pursue your claims.  Our legal team has a proven track record of compassionately representing our clients injured in Tennessee personal injury cases which is included in our testimonials page and our successful case results.  Please contact us today to receive your free case evaluation by dialing 901-680-9777.