Woman awarded large settlement for botched cosmetic surgery

Many Houston residents have cosmetic surgery or dream of one day having a surgery that makes them feel their best. Unfortunately, surgical errors can occur, causing much more pain and suffering for patients.
A Michigan woman underwent a tummy tuck procedure back in June of 2009, but the surgery caused her to have dark-colored drainage, clots, and painful sensations. The patient continued to go back to the surgeon, complaining of these issues and requesting to see a wound care specialist. The surgeon refused to refer her to a specialist, and instead prescribed ointment and pain medication. The wound continued to worsen and the surgeon agreed it was infected, but he still didn’t send her to a specialist.
Around eight weeks after the surgery, the woman went to the emergency room. The doctors there sent her to a wound care clinic where it was discovered she had a staph infection. She was then admitted to the hospital for six days. The patient filed a lawsuit against her surgeon claiming that, because of the delay in diagnosing her condition, her symptoms worsened and other problems developed. She was awarded over $1.3 million in the medical malpractice case.
When an ordinary surgery goes awry because of a surgeon mistake, it is important for patients to know their legal rights. A legal professional skilled in medical malpractice can help families find out what went wrong during the operation and if the surgeon was negligent. Compensation may be awarded in these cases for pain and suffering, medical expenses, loss of income and other damages.
It is important to hold medical professionals accountable for their negligent actions. A medical malpractice lawsuit can assist an injured patient and his or her family financially while also helping prevent future medical errors.
Source: mlive.com, “Jury awards Jackson woman $1.3 million in medical malpractice case,” Danielle Salisbury, Feb. 21, 2014