Surgical Error Lawyer in Montgomery

Were you injured as a result of an error that medical professionals made during a surgical procedure? At the law firm of Wettermark Keith, we can serve as your Montgomery medical malpractice lawyer and advocate for your right to take legal action. 

Our attorneys have more than 50 years of combined experience. Together, we’ve recovered more than $1.5 billion on behalf of over 100,000 clients. We’re ready to fight for fair compensation as your surgical error lawyer in Montgomery. 

Understanding Surgical Error Claims in Alabama

Surgery always carries some degree of risk. Even when a surgeon performs a procedure correctly, complications can arise due to a patient’s underlying condition, reaction to anesthesia, or other factors outside anyone’s control. 

However, not every surgical injury is simply an unfortunate outcome. Some injuries happen because one of the following parties, if not multiple of them, failed to provide care that adhered to accepted medical standards: 

• The surgeon
• A hospital itself 
• An anesthesiologist
• Nurses 
• Other healthcare providers 

When that happens, patients usually have the right to pursue a medical malpractice claim under Alabama state laws. Medical malpractice cases involving surgical errors are often complicated, and healthcare providers as well as their insurance companies will defend themselves. 

It’s common for them to argue that a patient’s injuries resulted from known surgical risks rather than negligence. Proving otherwise typically requires Montgomery personal injury lawyers to prove that the healthcare provider failed to meet the applicable standard of care. 

Common Surgical Errors That Lead to These Claims

Patients are often surprised to learn how many different types of mistakes can occur before, during, or after surgery. A widely recognized surgical error involves operating on the wrong body part. Sometimes, professionals make the mistake of performing surgery on the wrong patient. 

Although healthcare facilities have procedures designed to prevent these mistakes, they still occur and can have devastating consequences. Surgeons may also accidentally damage nearby organs, blood vessels, nerves, or tissues during a procedure. 

While some injuries are unavoidable complications, others result from preventable actions like carelessness, a lack of proper planning, inadequate training, and failure to follow accepted surgical techniques. Other common surgical errors include:

• Retained surgical instruments. In some cases, sponges, clamps, or other medical tools are accidentally left inside a patient’s body, requiring additional surgeries and creating serious health risks. 
• Anesthesia errors. Administering too much anesthesia, failing to monitor a patient’s vital signs, or overlooking important medical history information can result in brain injuries, organ damage, or even death. 
• Post-operative negligence. Healthcare providers are expected to monitor patients after surgery and respond appropriately to signs of infection, internal bleeding, respiratory distress, or other complications.  

Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Surgical Error?

An important aspect of any surgical malpractice case is identifying who may be responsible. Many people assume the surgeon is the only party who can be held accountable. However, surgical procedures often involve multiple healthcare professionals and organizations. 

Depending on the circumstances, liability can extend to the following people or parties: 

• Surgeons
• Assistant surgeons
• Anesthesiologists
• Nurses
• Surgical technicians
• Hospitals
• Outpatient surgical centers
• Other healthcare providers involved in the patient’s care

For example, if a nurse fails to properly count surgical instruments before closing an incision, multiple parties may share responsibility. If an anesthesiologist administers medication improperly, that provider may be liable for resulting injuries. 

Hospitals and healthcare facilities may also bear responsibility when negligent hiring practices, inadequate training, understaffing, or poor safety procedures contribute to patient harm. 

Montgomery surgical error attorneys can identify every potentially liable party on your behalf and pursue compensation from all available sources.

What Alabama Law Requires in Surgical Error Cases 

Medical malpractice claims are subject to specific legal requirements and deadlines that can seriously affect an injured patient’s ability to seek compensation. To successfully recover compensation, your surgical error attorney in Montgomery has to prove that the following are facts of your case: 

• A healthcare provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care.
• This failure directly caused your injuries. 

This often requires testimony from qualified medical professionals who can explain how the provider’s actions differed from what a reasonably competent medical professional would have done under similar circumstances. Alabama law also imposes deadlines for filing medical malpractice claims. Waiting too long to investigate a case could result in losing the opportunity to pursue compensation entirely. 

Because these cases involve strict procedural requirements and substantial medical evidence, it is often beneficial to speak with a surgical error law firm in Montgomery as soon as you start to feel concerned about your situation. 

Call Wettermark Keith ASAP for Professional Advice From Our Montgomery Surgical Error Law Firm 

If you were hurt as a result of an error made by professionals while performing surgery, you likely have a medical malpractice case on your hands. Many victims are overwhelmed after realizing the procedure meant to improve things left them in a worse position than before. 

As distressing as these circumstances can be, a Montgomery surgical error attorney can look into what happened, determine if medical negligence took place, and pursue compensation for the losses you have experienced. 

At Wettermark Keith, the belief that “It’s More To Us, It’s Personal” guides all of our client relationships. With a reputation for helping injured people throughout Alabama seek justice, we also travel for consultations and work on a contingency fee basis. Call now to learn more.