Surgical Error Claims in WA

Kennewick Surgical Error Lawyers

Advocating for victims of medical malpractice throughout WA

Nobody expects surgeons to be perfect. But everyone does have a right to expect that surgeons will operate according to the best standards of their profession. When surgeons make mistakes, the consequences can cause lifelong disabilities, chronic pain, loss of bodily function, and even death. Surgeons and hospitals need to be held accountable for surgical malpractice to compensate injured patients, provide for the families of decedents, and to help ensure future mistakes don’t happen again.

At Telaré Law, our trial lawyers have been fighting for injury victims for 25 years. We have a network of doctors we work with who are skilled at distinguishing between medical malpractice and honest mistakes. We have the experience and resources to show your surgeons and surgical staff failed you when you needed calm, competent medical care the most. Our lawyers are respected by clients, insurance adjusters, and the legal community for our success in the courtroom before juries. If a surgeon or surgical center is responsible for your injuries, Team Telaré is here to help.

What types of surgical error cases do you handle?

A mistake during surgery will not always rise to the level of medical malpractice. But if a surgical error caused you harm, and you sustained injuries and losses as a result, Telaré Law can help. Some of the more common surgical error cases we take involve:

  • Not anticipating reasonably known complications
  • Damaging parts of the anatomy unrelated to the surgery
  • Damaging parts of the anatomy related to the surgery that should never have been damaged
  • Anesthesia errors
  • Bowel perforations
  • Nicking essential organs
  • Radiology mistakes
  • Failure to monitor the patient during surgery for vital signs
  • Failure to monitor the patient after surgery including failure to treat post-surgical complications such as bleeding disorders

There are some surgical mistakes that should NEVER occur. These include:

  • Operating on the wrong body part or amputating the wrong body part
  • Operating on the wrong patient
  • Performing unnecessary surgery
  • Performing the wrong surgery
  • Waiting too long to perform surgery
  • Leaving an object such as a sponge or instrument inside the patient
  • Using unsanitary instruments
  • Failing to obtain informed consent

As one of the preeminent medical malpractice law firms serving Southeast Washington, we know that any mistake on the operating table can be a life-altering one. We can help.

When are surgeons, hospitals, and staff liable for surgical errors?

Generally, surgeons, hospitals, surgical staff, and the doctors who recommended surgical treatment can be found liable for medical malpractice in Washington if:

  • There was a doctor-patient relationship.
  • The doctor failed to provide competent medical care according to the standards of his/her profession.
  • The lack of proper care was the cause of your injuries or the death of a loved one.
  • You or your loved one sustained damages because of those injuries.

In most medical malpractice cases, the most contentious argument revolves around whether the errors were due to a lack of care according to current medical standards. Our Kennewick surgical malpractice attorneys strive to prove that negligence was the cause of your injuries and losses.

Why do surgical errors happen?

Some of the many reasons surgical mistakes happen at Southeast Washington hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) include:

  • Failure to read the medical charts
  • An improper diagnosis
  • A lack of communication
  • Improper planning
  • Fatigue
  • Lack of skill
  • A lack of training included training that is current
  • An unclear hierarchy about who is responsible for medical decisions
  • Failure to consult with a family doctor
  • Understaffing

At Telaré Law, we review the recommendation for surgery report, the consent to surgery forms, the operative report, the anesthesia-operative report, consultation reports, and discharge summaries, among other documents. We review your claim with our independent surgeons who can evaluate what steps the surgical team failed to take or improperly took.

How much is my Kennewick surgical error claim worth?

In Washington, medical malpractice victims are entitled to compensation for their economic losses and non-economic losses. These include:

  • Economic losses. These bills include ambulance fees, EMT fees, hospitalization costs, visits with your doctors, rehabilitation care, assistive devices, and medications. The claim also covers the cost of any corrective surgeries. Victims are also entitled to compensation for their lost wages and lost benefits including income loss due to a permanent disability.
  • Non-economic losses. We demand compensation for your daily physical pain and emotional suffering, loss of use of any body part, scarring and disfigurement, and loss of consortium.

If a loved one died due to surgical error, we file a wrongful death claim. Damages in a wrongful lawsuit include any medical care, the funeral and burial expenses, and the income loss because of the wrongful death. Eligible family members are also entitled to compensation for the value of the society, guidance, and support the deceased would have provided each family member.

What is the statute of limitations for filing a surgical error case in Washington?

Normally, medical malpractice victims have three years to file their claim. The time may possibly be extended if the victim didn’t reasonably become aware of the surgical error until after the mistakes were made. For example, a patient may not realize an object was left inside until internal scarring causes pain months later.

Patients should always seek legal help as soon as they know or suspect a surgical mistake occurred.

Do you have a surgical error lawyer near me?

At Telaré Law, we have an office in Kennewick located at 819 South Auburn St. We also have a Richland location. We see clients at their homes or the hospital when their injuries make office appointments difficult.

Discuss your rights with a respected Kennewick surgical error lawyer now

Patients have the right to expect that surgeries will improve their health – not make it worse. When injuries or the death of a loved one occur in Kennewick due to surgical mistakes, you need strong relentless trial lawyers on your side. Our practice is exclusively devoted to personal injury claims. We hold irresponsible hospitals and doctors accountable for medical malpractice.

Call Telaré Law now to discuss your claim. You can reach us at 509-737-8500 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We handle surgical error cases on a contingency fee basis. Our lawyers fight for medical malpractice victims who live in Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, Walla Walla, Pullman, Othello, Moses Lake, Ritzville, and all Southeast Washington.