January 2018 - Law Firm of Targan & Pender, P.C.

What Are the Worst Surgical Mistakes?

Posted on April 21, 2018 by Targan & Pender, P.C.

If you read last week’s blog, then you may have an understanding of how surgical errors can harm patients. However, retained surgical items is only one type of surgical error responsible for injuries and deaths each year. Additional types of surgical mistakes include: Wrong-site surgery: This type of surgical mistake is exactly what it sounds like. Surgeons may perform a procedure on the wrong part of the body. Hospitals can avoid this type of mistake by utilizing a pre-operation checklist and by clearly marking where to operate. Wrong-patient surgery: Believe it or not, there are instances where surgeons operate on the wrong patients. There was a recent medical malpractice case covered by the press where an 89-year-old woman died after receiving an unnecessary brain surgery. Doctors had confused the woman with another patient. Wrong surgical procedure: Surgeons can also perform the wrong type of procedure on a patient. For example,…
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What Happens When Surgeons Leave Objects Behind?

Posted on April 14, 2018 by Targan & Pender, P.C.

There are certain types of surgical errors that are dubbed “never events” because they are so egregious that they should never occur. One type of surgical never event involves doctors leaving behind equipment inside of patients. As you can imagine, the consequences of this type of error are often horrific for patients and their families. CNN recently published a story describing what can happen when objects are left behind after procedures. The article describes the story of a woman who had two surgical sponges left inside her for at least six years. She initially went to a primary care clinic in Japan with complaints that she had experienced bloating for three years. Doctors found the surgical sponges after ordering a CT scan. By the time the sponges were found, they had attached to the woman’s organs. It is suspected the sponges were left behind after a Cesarean section. Cases like…
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Can I File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit for a Botched Surgery?

Posted on April 7, 2018 by Targan & Pender, P.C.

There are cases where wrongful death claims can be filed against hospitals, clinics and doctors. In fact, a recent wrongful death lawsuit against a hospital involves a former Hollywood actor who died after a surgical procedure. Actor Bill Paxton’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the doctor and hospital responsible for his failed heart surgery. Paxton, who starred in popular movies for decades, died 11 days after a surgical procedure to repair an aortic aneurysm. According to the family, the doctor failed to inform them about the high risks associated with the surgery and was not qualified to conduct the procedure. The lawsuit also mentions the surgeon was not in the room when Paxton began to suffer life-threatening complications. Paxton experienced excessive bleeding, shock and multiple heart problems during the surgery. According to the lawsuit, the surgeon failed to return to the operating room after being informed about Paxton’s…
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