Jacksonville Attorneys Fight For Patients Injured By Surgery Performed On The Wrong Organ Or Limb

Representing Floridians Failed By Surgeons

It’s unthinkable that a surgeon in this day and age, in this country, could operate on the wrong body part. But according to a recent study by Johns Hopkins, it happens more than 4,000 times per year, at a rate of 20 times per week. It may even happen more often, but it’s believed that wrong-site surgery is underreported. While these kinds of mistakes were once considered extremely rare, and are still among the least common types of medical malpractice, they can and often do result in the most severe consequences for the patient.

If you’ve been injured or a loved one has been killed because a surgeon operated on the wrong organ or limb, you have the right to seek damages through a medical malpractice suit. Our experienced and extremely knowledgeable attorneys at Fallgatter Catlin & Varon, P.A., have both the skill and medical resources to thoroughly investigate your claim, pursue all those responsible for your injuries or a loved one’s death, and recover full and fair damages for you and your family. It’s important to hold surgeons and others accountable for such gross negligence—not only to compensate you but also to protect future patients from suffering a similar fate that could have been so easily prevented.

Surgical Mistakes Leading To Dire Consequences

Medical malpractice during surgery involves more than mistakes: All surgery carries risks, and unforeseen complications can and do arise even when surgeons perform to an acceptable standard. But when a surgeon operates on the wrong body part, it’s not difficult to prove negligence: That surgeon and his operating team should have taken measures to ensure that the surgery was on the injured limb or organ, not a perfectly healthy one—or the only healthy one of two you had. A Florida case that received notoriety a few years ago involved a doctor who amputated the wrong leg of a patient, resulting in that patient losing both legs.

There are safeguards in place against such surgical mistakes. Hospitals are required to verify a surgical procedure before it’s performed, and doctors are supposed to mark the correct body part prior to surgery. They’re also supposed to ensure X-ray films aren’t reversed and confirm that medical records and scans match the patient who’ll be undergoing surgery. When the medical establishment fails to take such precautions and you’re injured, those injuries can be devastating and affect you for the rest of your life. Contact us as soon as possible if you’ve suffered such an injury. Florida sets a two-year time limit on malpractice claims, and the sooner we’re able to begin fighting for you, the sooner you can resume your life as fully as possible.

Contact Us For Help With Your Medical Malpractice Claim

At Fallgatter Catlin & Varon, P.A., our Jacksonville personal injury attorneys have the skills, access to medical experts and experience to handle even the most complex medical malpractice cases, including those stemming from surgery performed on the wrong organ or limb. Contact us online or call our office today at (904) 353-5800 for a free consultation with one of our medical malpractice attorneys. There are no fees unless we succeed.*

• In some cases, clients will be asked to pay the costs associated with providing services. These costs, which will be fully explained, never include fees for a lawyer’s time.

Medical malpractice takes various forms. The following represent some of the more common types of medical malpractice:

Birth Injuries Infections resulting from treatment Improper operation of medical devices Restraint injuries Errors in blood transfusion Inaccurate x-ray readings

Surgical errors Pressure ulcers Over-medication Improper medication Failure to diagnose Delayed diagnosis Wrong diagnosis