Injuries Sustained During Cancer Surgery: What Steps Should You Take?
Posted on: 27 September 2018
Were you recently diagnosed with a type of cancer? If so, part of the treatment plan may have involved surgical intervention to help remove the tumor or other tissue areas. Because it's a complex type of surgery, there's an increased risk of injury and further complications, even by the finest team of surgeons. If you've suffered from a medical mishap or complication that you feel could have been avoided, you may wish to seek legal counsel to help determine what's next. Here are some important steps you should consider if you're finding yourself or a family member in this situation.
Documenting Your Condition and Thoughts
After surgery, if you find you can't move your leg properly or you feel like something is truly wrong with your body, you need to address these needs to your nurses and surgeon immediately. This could include excess bleeding, numbness, extreme pain and cognitive issues that aren't improving. It's also imperative that you write these concerns down on paper and share them with someone close to you, such as a spouse or other family member. This is important because things can change rapidly afterward and you may be hazy immediately following the surgery. Having your thoughts and concerns documented allows your medical malpractice or personal injury attorney to have something to reflect on and research while they examine your medical records and surgical reports.
Getting an Outside Medical Opinion
Whether your injury or change since the surgery was minor or major, one recommendation may be to seek a second medical opinion outside of your existing group of doctors or surgeons. The result will be an unbiased evaluation of your current medical status. For example, if you're experiencing consistent nausea and vomiting due to a bowel leak or abdominal tear from a surgery, this is oftentimes not expected and may impair your quality of life. Documentation of a new doctor's medical evaluation can help your team of lawyers build a case against the original surgeon or medical staff.
Seeking the Right Attorney
While you can choose any type of accident or personal injury attorney, a lawyer that specializes in surgical mishaps and injuries will know how to handle your case properly. Because of their past experience, reputable medical malpractice attorneys services can help you moving forward. The following must be proven:
- The doctor did not fulfill his or her duty to the patient
- The doctor breached his or her main duty of care
- Injury occurred because of a breach of duty
- The damages due to negligence are significant and life altering
Medical malpractice lawyers services aim to give you the peace of mind you need moving forward with a possible case.
Medical malpractice suits can be hard to prove, especially if you signed consent forms before treatment. The goal is to get proper monetary support for pain and suffering and utilize a reputable lawyer that you can trust moving forward.
Share