You put your life in their hands. You trusted them with your health, your future, your very existence. But something went wrong. A careless mistake, a lapse in judgment, a hospital policy gap, a critical error - and suddenly, your world is turned upside down.
Surgical errors are among the most devastating forms of medical malpractice. When you undergo surgery, you are at your most vulnerable - unconscious, unable to advocate for yourself, completely dependent on the skill and attentiveness of your surgical team. You trust that they will perform the procedure correctly, with the utmost care and precision. But surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists - they're human. And humans make mistakes.
At Swanson Gardner Meyers Cohon PLLC, we've seen the heartbreaking consequences of surgical errors firsthand. Lives shattered, families torn apart, futures derailed - all because of preventable mistakes in the operating room. If you or a loved one has suffered due to a surgical error, we're here to help. Our experienced Seattle medical malpractice attorneys will fight tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve and hold the negligent parties accountable.
Why Choose Our Seattle Medical Malpractice Lawyers After a Surgical Error?
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries resulting from surgical error, you may have the right to seek compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other expenses. Our medical malpractice attorneys will strive to get you the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Since 1982, the attorneys at Swanson Gardner Meyers Cohon PLLC have held medical professionals, hospitals, clinics, and medical centers in Washington accountable for medical negligence during surgery.
For example, we represented a client whose surgeon lacerated his ureter during hernia surgery. The hospital fought, but a jury awarded our patient $241,000 in damages.
Another patient suffered nerve damage as a result of medical negligence. We achieved a verdict of nearly $400-thousand on our client’s behalf. Our personal injury / wrongful death law firm has achieved over a dozen 7-figure verdicts.
We handle our cases contingently, meaning we receive no fees until we secure compensation on your behalf. Contact us now and ask for a free consultation. We’ll help you explore your legal options and move forward after a devastating surgical error.
We Help Patients Like You Who’ve Suffered From a Surgical Error
When you undergo surgery, there is an immense amount of trust involved. Trust in the surgeon's skill and experience. Trust in the anesthesiologist to properly sedate you and monitor your vital signs. Trust in the nurses and surgical techs to maintain a sterile operating environment and assist the surgeon. Trust in the hospital to ensure that proper protocols are followed.
A single misstep, a momentary distraction, a communication breakdown is all it takes for that trust to be irrevocably broken. A surgeon operates on the wrong body part. An anesthesiologist administers the incorrect dosage. A nurse fails to account for a surgical sponge. An incision is made in the wrong place. A procedure is performed on the wrong patient entirely.
The consequences can be catastrophic. Permanent nerve damage, disfigurement, disability. Astronomical medical bills for corrective surgeries and ongoing care. Lost wages from extended time off work. Overwhelming pain and emotional trauma. A lifetime of suffering stemming from an event that was supposed to help you heal.
If you're reading this, chances are you've experienced this nightmare firsthand. You put your faith in a surgical team, and they let you down in the most profound way possible. You're angry, devastated, and uncertain of what to do next.
At Swanson Gardner Meyers Cohon PLLC, our experienced medical malpractice attorneys have helped injured patients in Seattle and throughout Washington fight back after a surgical error. Some of the most common types of surgical errors include:
Wrong-site surgery
Wrong procedure performed
Surgical instruments left inside a patient
Anesthesia errors
Nerve damage
Organ puncture or perforation
Infection from unsanitary conditions
Excessive bleeding
Unnecessary surgery
Who is Responsible for Surgical Errors?
You trusted medical professionals to do their job correctly, and they betrayed that trust. They failed to uphold the standard of care that every patient deserves. And you should not have to bear the agonizing physical, emotional, and financial repercussions of their negligence.
However, it isn’t easy to determine who is to blame after a surgical error. In many cases, one or more parties may share the blame. A skilled surgical malpractice attorney can thoroughly investigate your case to identify all the potentially negligent parties.
The surgeon is responsible for properly performing the procedure, making prudent judgment calls, and closely supervising the actions of the rest of the surgical staff. If a surgeon makes a technical error, operates on the wrong body part or patient, or fails to notice their team's mistakes, they can be held liable.
Anesthesia errors are some of the most dangerous surgical mistakes. Too much anesthetic medication can cause brain damage or death, while too little can lead to a patient waking up mid-surgery. Anesthesiologists are responsible for properly calculating dosages based on a patient's medical history, weight, and length of surgery. They must also vigilantly monitor the patient's consciousness level and vital signs throughout the procedure. A careless error can have deadly consequences.
Nurses and surgical techs play a critical role in maintaining a sterile surgical environment, handing instruments to the surgeon, counting sponges and instruments before and after the procedure, positioning the patient correctly, and more. Nursing errors during surgery can lead to severe infections, nerve damage, excessive blood loss, and objects being left inside a patient's body.
Hospitals are responsible for properly vetting and credentialing their surgeons. They must also ensure that adequate safety protocols are in place and that surgical staff are properly trained. If a hospital allows unqualified or incompetent surgeons to operate or fails to implement proper surgical safeguards, it can be liable for the resulting patient harm.
In some cases, defective surgical equipment or medication may play a role. If a malfunctioning surgical robot causes nerve damage or a contaminated medication leads to a deadly infection, the manufacturer may bear some liability.
How Swanson Gardner Meyers Cohon PLLC Can Help
We understand the immense toll a surgical error can take on you and your family. The physical pain, the emotional trauma, the overwhelming medical bills, the inability to work or care for your loved ones - it's almost too much to bear. You may feel helpless, even hopeless.
But you have rights. You can hold the surgical team accountable for their life-altering mistake. You have the right to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering.
At Swanson Gardner Meyers Cohon PLLC, we'll be your tireless advocates in this fight for justice. Our Seattle medical malpractice lawyers know how to unravel even the most complex surgical error cases. We'll examine every page of your medical records with a fine-tooth comb to pinpoint where things went wrong. We'll consult with top medical experts to reconstruct what a reasonably competent surgical staff should have done differently. We'll interview witnesses, subpoena evidence, and leave no stone unturned in building the strongest possible case.
No amount of money can erase what happened to you. But it can get you the ongoing care you need without bankrupting your family. It can provide for your future when returning to work isn't an option. It can offer hope, a light at the end of a dark tunnel.
Contact Our Seattle Surgical Errors Lawyers Today
If your trust has been betrayed by a surgical error, put your trust in us to make it right. Call Swanson Gardner Meyers Cohon PLLC today for your free, no-obligation consultation. Let us fight for the justice you deserve.
