Columbus Surgical Error Lawyer

Doctors and healthcare workers assess and treat ailments and injuries every day throughout Columbus. We trust them to perform this critical work because of their years of experience and extensive medical training. When a surgeon or member of a surgical team fails to deliver an acceptable standard of care, patients can suffer serious and potentially life-threatening injuries. Injured patients can pursue compensation by hiring a Columbus surgical error lawyer. 

Why You Should Trust Spangenberg Shibley & Liber

If you or a loved one was injured due to medical malpractice, you need legal support that gets results. The award-winning litigators at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber have secured more than $1 billion in settlements and verdicts for our clients. Since 1946, we have been a leading voice for those who suffered harm due to the negligence or wrongful acts of others. Awards and past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is unique. 

Since we focus on high-value claims, you can trust that we can pursue the full compensation that you are owed. Our track record of success in court has earned our law firm continual referrals from local attorneys, and we are proud of those co-counsel recommendations. When you partner with our law firm, you gain the steady support of advocates who can take your case to court or trial when necessary. 

Common Surgical Errors in Columbus

Urgent visits to Ohio State University Hospital, Riverside Hospital, and other healthcare facilities happen for many reasons. In 2024, Columbus Fire Rescue reportedly responded to around 145,000 emergency calls, and 55% of patients were transported to the emergency room. Common emergency procedures include:  

• Appendectomies
• Emergency cesarean sections
• Fracture repairs
• Emergency cardiac procedures
• Exploratory surgery

Surgeons face a higher rate of medical malpractice claims than many other healthcare specialties, with 75% reporting having been named in a claim. Surgical errors can happen before, during, or after a medical procedure. Surgeons could operate on the wrong site or accidentally leave surgical objects inside the patient’s body. Those mistakes could lead to infections, internal harm, and the need for additional surgery.

Other mistakes can involve damage to nearby organs, nerves, or blood vessels, particularly when an improper incision is made that harms surrounding tissues. Anesthesia errors can also happen on the operating table when a patient receives an incorrect dosage or is not carefully monitored during the procedure.  

Patients may also suffer harm from postoperative infections when appropriate sanitation or infection-control measures are not followed. Medication errors can involve administering the wrong drug or dosage before or after a procedure. In some cases, inadequate monitoring after surgery can allow internal bleeding, blood clots, respiratory problems, or other complications to worsen before medical personnel intervene.

Does My Injury Qualify for a Medical Malpractice Claim?

If you were injured due to a surgical error, you may be eligible to pursue compensation through a medical malpractice claim. Surgeons at Ohio State University Hospital, OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, and elsewhere in the area are expected to deliver an accepted standard of care. When a doctor does not provide services at that level, they can be held liable for damages. 

An injury claim should include documentation showing that someone suffered harm as a result of the surgical error. Evidence could include medical records showing subsequent treatments, doctor’s notes detailing the injury, and documentation showing the financial harm someone suffered due to the medical error. When there is compelling evidence showing both medical negligence and harm, a claim can lead to fair compensation. 

Compensation You May Be Owed

A successful medical malpractice claim can compensate you for the tangible and intangible losses you suffered. Economic damages typically reflect financial losses from medical bills, lost wages, out-of-pocket expenses, and other forms of financial harm that someone suffered as a direct result of a surgical error. Reduced earning capacity or a disability can add significantly to the value of a settlement or court verdict. 

Intangible forms of harm can also be reflected through non-economic damages. These compensate plaintiffs for the emotional harm they suffered. The loss of mobility, trauma of a botched procedure, and other mental health afflictions can significantly reduce someone’s quality of life. With strong legal support, an injury claim can pursue compensation for these and other losses that patients can suffer following a surgical error. 

When Should I Accept a Settlement Offer?

Injury claims are commonly resolved when the defendant or their representative makes a fair settlement offer. Whether you are recovering in German Village, Olde Towne East, Grandview Heights, or another neighborhood in Columbus, an insurance carrier or defendant in court could offer you a proposed settlement figure. If you accept that offer, the dispute is resolved, and you will generally no longer be able to pursue compensation for that specific injury. 

This is why it is crucial to understand when to accept a settlement. You are not obligated to accept any offer, but rejecting a proposal to resolve the claim could extend the timeline of your case. Some common questions you can ask when considering an offer include:

• Does the offer cover my current medical expenses?
• Will I need additional medical treatment in the future?
• Does the settlement account for my lost income and reduced earning capacity?
• Have all of my injuries and long-term limitations been documented?
• How does the offer compare with the total value of my damages?
• What are the risks and potential benefits of rejecting the offer and proceeding to trial?

An attorney’s advice and support can be crucial in these matters. If your lawyer believes that the offer is not fair, they can make a counteroffer, emphasizing the evidence at hand and the harm you suffered. If the at-fault party fails to make an acceptable offer, your lawyer can pursue a civil court action seeking full compensation for the harm you suffered. Such claims are typically filed at the Franklin County Common Pleas Court at 345 S. High Street, Columbus, OH 43215.

Why You Should Hire a Surgical Error Lawyer

An estimated one in 10 patients is harmed while receiving medical support, and the consequences of medical malpractice can leave patients suffering long-term physical and emotional harm. Attempting to hold a negligent healthcare worker accountable for negligence could lead to unfavorable outcomes if you do not hire a surgical error lawyer who understands Ohio’s surgical error laws.

The outcome of a surgical error case depends on the evidence the injured party presents, not merely accusations. A Columbus surgical error attorney can play a crucial role in guiding the medical malpractice case toward a favorable outcome because injury lawyers are skilled at investigating the cause of an injury and negotiating favorable outcomes for those claims. At every step of the process, Spangenberg Shibley & Liber can provide steady support. 

When you work with our dedicated team of lawyers, you gain steadfast support from a law firm that brings an impressive history of high-value case results. Our medical malpractice results include an $8.5 million settlement for a delayed evaluation of a spinal hematoma that resulted in quadriplegia. 

We also secured a $5.1 million verdict, including interest, involving a failure to diagnose an injury to the common bile duct. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits.

FAQs

Q: How Do Surgical Mistakes Happen?

A: Surgical mistakes can result from poor communication, inadequate preparation, fatigue, improper technique, or a failure to carefully monitor the patient. A surgeon may damage nearby organs or nerves, operate on the wrong site, or leave a surgical object inside the patient. Other errors can involve anesthesia or postoperative care. Not every surgical complication amounts to malpractice, and the circumstances must be examined to determine whether negligence occurred.

Q: What Is the Average Settlement for a Medication Error?

A: There is no readily available “average settlement” for medication errors because compensation for any claim depends on the circumstances of each case. Factors that shape the outcome of these cases can include the severity and permanence of the injury, additional medical treatment, lost income, future care needs, and available evidence of negligence. The severity of the injury is an important factor that can shape the outcome of the case.

Q: Can You Recover Compensation for a Botched Surgery?

A: Yes. You may be able to pursue compensation when a surgeon or another healthcare provider fails to meet the applicable standard of care and causes you harm. Compensation in these types of claims can address medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. A surgical error alone does not necessarily establish medical malpractice. Your attorney must generally show that negligence caused or contributed to your injuries.

Q: What Is the Most Common Surgical Mistake?

A: Surgical mistakes can take many forms, including wrong-site procedures, retained surgical objects, damage to nearby organs or nerves, anesthesia errors, and preventable infections. Errors may also occur when surgical teams fail to properly monitor patients before or after a procedure. Whether a particular mistake constitutes medical malpractice depends on the applicable standard of care and the circumstances surrounding the patient’s treatment.

Injured By Medical Malpractice? Contact Spangenberg Shibley & Liber Today

If you were injured due to a healthcare worker’s negligence, you can hold them accountable for the harm and setbacks you suffered. Spangenberg Shibley & Liber is a highly respected injury law firm representing clients throughout Ohio and Florida. When we accept a case, we pour significant time and resources into managing that claim from start to finish because we understand the challenges our clients face following an injury. 

Whether you were injured due to a botched procedure, misdiagnosis, or another cause of preventable harm, you can trust our dedicated team of attorneys to manage your case with the attention to detail that it deserves. What sets our law firm apart is our focus on managing complex, high-value claims that can lead to large settlements. Don’t delay securing the high-quality legal support your case deserves. Contact our office today.