General surgeons play a crucial role in treating a wide variety of conditions. Typically, people who seek the services of a general surgeon anticipate that they will perform the procedures in question with appropriate skill and care. It is not uncommon, though, for physicians performing surgical procedures to make careless mistakes that ultimately cause their patients to suffer grave harm. Fortunately, Maryland law allows people harmed by the carelessness of their healthcare providers to pursue damages in medical malpractice lawsuits. If you suffered losses due to general surgeon malpractice, you may be owed damages, and it is in your best interest to talk to an attorney about your possible claims. The skilled Prince George’s County medical malpractice attorneys of Foran & Foran, P.A. can assess the circumstances surrounding your injuries and gather the evidence needed to provide you with a strong chance of a favorable result.
Harm Caused by General Surgeon MalpracticeGeneral surgeons are medical specialists trained to perform surgical procedures on various parts of the body, addressing conditions ranging from minor ailments to life-threatening diseases. Their responsibilities encompass diagnosing illnesses, planning surgical interventions, executing procedures with precision, and providing postoperative care.
While all procedures carry some degree of risk, certain harm that arises following surgery is the direct result of malpractice. Examples of malpractice include surgical errors such as wrong-site surgery, incorrect procedures, or leaving foreign objects inside the body. Inadequate preoperative assessments or postoperative care, failure to obtain informed consent, and negligent supervision of surgical staff may constitute malpractice as well. Such errors can result in serious consequences for patients, including prolonged recovery, new or worsened medical concerns, and even death.
Elements of a General Surgeon Malpractice LawsuitPeople harmed by general surgeon malpractice often suffer injuries that cause significant physical, emotional, and financial harm. As such, they will often seek to recover some of their losses via medical malpractice claims.
As the harm caused by medical malpractice is usually inadvertent, a plaintiff in a medical malpractice will generally set forth negligence claims against the defendant. In Maryland, to establish the negligence of a medical professional, the plaintiff has to show that the defendant owed them a duty. The duty owed, typically, is to abide by the appropriate standard of care. The standard that applies is the care that a competent doctor working in the same practice area would offer in a similar situation.
Next, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant breached the duty, by deviating from the standard of care, and in doing so, directly caused the plaintiff to sustain losses. In most cases, the plaintiff will need to retain a medical expert to testify regarding what the standard of care requires, the ways in which the defendant neglected to uphold the standard of care, and connecting the defendant’s breach to the plaintiff’s losses.
Damages Recoverable in General Surgeon Malpractice LawsuitsA plaintiff who demonstrates a general surgeon’s liability may be granted compensation for the cost of any medical care they needed due to their injuries, including additional surgeries, hospitalization, and physical and occupational therapy. Generally, they will need to provide expert testimony to demonstrate their losses and prove that the treatment they received was reasonable and necessary.
They may also be awarded lost wages, if they were unable to work because of their harm, and out-of-pocket costs. In many cases, they can also recover compensation for their mental and physical trauma and anguish.
Talk to a Dedicated Prince George’s County Medical Malpractice AttorneyPeople typically seek treatment from general surgeons to protect their health, but when their procedures are carelessly performed, they often suffer harm instead. Doctors who negligently injure their patients may be deemed liable for medical malpractice, and it is critical for anyone injured by their physician to speak to an attorney as soon as possible. If you or a loved one sustained losses due to general surgeon malpractice, the dedicated Prince George’s County medical malpractice attorneys of Foran & Foran, P.A. can advise you of your rights and help you to pursue the full amount of damages recoverable under the law. Our office is located in Greenbelt, Maryland and we frequently represent people in medical malpractice lawsuits who reside in Hyattsville, Bowie, Upper Marlboro, Waldorf, La Plata, Silver Spring, Rockville and other cities in Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, Charles County and all counties in the State of Maryland. You can contact us through our form online or by calling us at (301) 441-2022 to arrange a confidential and free consultation.