Florida Doctor Makes Serious Mistake During Surgery, Sued for Medical Malpractice

Doctors are human, and just like anyone else, they are prone to making mistakes in the workplace. However, the biggest difference is that a mistake in the medical field can be harmful—even deadly.

Medical malpractice causes thousands of injuries and approximately 250,000 fatalities every year, accounting for 10 percent of all deaths. As the third leading cause of death, medical malpractice is a common and serious issue that does not get the attention it deserves. Many doctors unfortunately continue to practice after causing serious harm to a patient.

This is the case for a Florida doctor who accidentally removed a healthy kidney from a woman during surgery. The 53-year-old woman, who was involved in a car accident years ago, continue to suffer from pain in the lower back. It is recommended that she undergo surgery to fuse bones in the area.

According to the plan, the surgeon would open up the patient, while an orthopedic team would fuse the bones together. While the doctor made the incision, he found something inside the woman’s body that seemed out of the ordinary. He found a mass in the pelvic area and removed it, thinking it was a tumor.

The alleged tumor turned out to be the woman’s kidney. She was born with a rare condition in which the kidney develops in the pelvic area. The condition is harmless, and the kidney was healthy and fully functional.

The woman was informed that her kidney was removed during the surgery. She filed a lawsuit against all the doctors involved. Due to limitations in Florida law, she was only able to receive $500,000 from two of the doctors on the surgical team. She also settled with the main surgeon for an undisclosed amount of money.

Currently, the surgeon maintains privileges at four area hospitals. He is also the chairman of surgery at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center. However, it is possible that he could lose his medical license for the mistake.

Florida Medical Malpractice Cap

 If you have been injured by medical malpractice in Florida, your financial recovery will be limited. Non-economic damages (such as pain and suffering, scarring and disfigurement) are limited to $500,000. This increases to $1 million in cases where medical malpractice leads to a vegetative state or death.

The state also provides for different caps based on the type of medical provider. There is a difference between medical practitioners (such as doctors) and those who do not fall into this category. There are other exceptions at apply.

Seek Help for Your Medical Malpractice Case

Medical malpractice cases are very costly. They require a significant amount of expert witnesses and other resources.  As such, aggressive legal representation is required in these cases.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed by a doctor’s negligence, seek legal help right away. The Dade City medical malpractice attorneys at Madonna Law Group can assess your case and determine your rights to compensation. Call (800) 557-0411 to schedule a free consultation.

Resource:

hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/study_suggests_medical_errors_now_third_leading_cause_of_death_in_the_us