Patients who undergo surgery for any reason have to trust their medical care providers to do a good job and to perform up to basic professional standards.  While the majority of surgeries meet this standard, many do not, and when a mistake is made during a procedure, the patient can suffer immensely and in some cases their lives can be put in danger.  One woman who has recently filed a medical malpractice lawsuit suffered from an all-too common error in that a piece of a surgical instrument used to perform an operation was left inside of her.

According to reports, Maryland resident Kimberly Williams, 37, reported for a hysterectomy surgery at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland in 2008.  Surgeons used a forceps manufactured by Gyrus ACMI Corp, which is a subsidiary of Olympus Corp.  As it turns out, this forceps was recalled in 2010 due to defects, but that didn't help Ms. Williams.  Part of the surgical instrument broke off and fell into her abdomen during the surgery, and it was not discovered until 2009 after months of severe pain and suffering.  She is suing the manufacturer of the forceps and the United States, which is responsible for medical care provided at naval hospitals.

Medical Malpractice Statistics

First, we hope that the medical malpractice lawsuit filed by this unfortunate patient provides her with the result she deserves if it's proven that doctors used a defective forceps and left a piece of it inside of her.  We're also glad that the situation wasn't worse.  In addition, this medical malpractice lawsuit is only one of many that is or should be filed every year.  On an annual basis, approximately 100,000 people die due to hospital errors, and about 1,500 patients per year suffer as a result of a foreign object being left inside of them after surgery.

New York Medical Malpractice Lawyers

These types of situations can arise at any time, in any place and as a result of any surgical procedure.  When a medical malpractice lawsuit is filed in response to this type of negligence, the plaintiff can recover damages that compensate for their medical costs, additional medical costs incurred because of the mistake, their lost income and their pain and suffering depending on the specific facts of the case and other factors.

If you or someone you love has been harmed because of a mistake made during a medical procedure, you need to seek the help of New York medical malpractice lawyers who have been fighting for patients who have suffered unnecessarily for 40 years.  Contact Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald today to schedule a free initial consultation.