Filing a medical malpractice lawsuit in Georgia is challenging. Hiring an experienced attorney can help you in protecting your rights. Medical malpractice incidents are devastating leaving serious consequences for the patient. Wrongful death due to medical malpractice is extremely distressing for loved ones.
Each year around 250,000 deaths occur due to medical malpractice in the USA. In a case in 2016, a plastic surgeon faced a medical malpractice lawsuit due to a patient’s death. Now the same surgeon is facing new allegations for medical malpractice. A patient has become scarred for life after a breast lift and tummy tuck. After emergency surgery and skin grafts, this patient luckily survived. According to the doctors at the hospital, if she waited for another day she would have died.
According to the reports, this surgeon breached the standard medical care he was expected to provide to the patient including:
- Failure to get a comprehensive physical exam of the patient
- Failure in getting the complete medical history of the patient
- Failing to check the patient after 24 to 48 hours of the surgery
The surgeon denies the current allegations and intends to fight this in court.
In this article, we examine when you can file a medical malpractice lawsuit against a plastic surgeon.
When Can You Hold Plastic Surgeons Liable for Damage & How Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Georgia Can Help:
You can file a medical malpractice lawsuit in Georgia against a plastic surgeon if you can prove that their negligent actions caused injuries and harm to you. Plastic surgery is commonly performed to improve the personal appearance of a person. It is also known as cosmetic surgery. It is an elective procedure that people can choose for themselves. In certain situations, plastic surgery becomes necessary to correct the impact of a serious illness or an accident.
In high-income areas, many professionals opt for plastic surgery as it is very lucrative. If the doctors do not have the required skills, knowledge, experience, equipment, and training then they cannot perform the surgery safely. This means causing serious harm to the patients.
Your medical malpractice attorney can help you build a strong case and obtain the compensation you truly deserve for your loss. Fighting for medical malpractice lawsuits on your own becomes overwhelming. Having a qualified medical lawsuit attorney by your side can be beneficial for your case.
Common procedures of plastic surgery that can involve negligence include:
- Neck Lifts
- Liposuction
- Skin Peels
- Rhinoplasty
- Facelift
- Breast augmentation
- Laser hair removal
- Medical spa treatments like Botox
Any error made by the doctor during treatment comes under medical malpractice claim. This includes everything involved in the treatment including operating the wrong body part, errors in administering anesthesia, failing to take informed consent meaning clearly explaining the risks to the patient, leaving any object inside the patient, failing to get a medical history, etc. If a surgeon performs unnecessary surgery that is dangerous for the patient then they can be held accountable.
You should remember that being unsatisfied or unhappy with the results of plastic surgery does not qualify for a medical malpractice lawsuit. You can only file a claim when you can prove that the surgeon was negligent and they breached the standard duty of care. This breach resulted in an injury to the patient.
Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Against a Plastic Surgeon:
Plastic surgery cases are more complicated than other medical procedures. You can hold a plastic surgeon responsible for medical malpractice like you can any other medical doctor. You may face difficulty as plastic surgery is an elective procedure usually considered unnecessary.
Plastic surgeons are required to maintain the standard of care with their patients. However, in such cases, the jury is often in doubt regarding the plaintiffs as this surgery is entirely the patient’s choice. For this reason, plaintiffs have some responsibility. The majority of such cases are resolved in a pretrial settlement.
For a medical malpractice claim, you will be needing witnesses to prove your case. You will have to prove that a standard of care existed between you and the doctor and they breached it, which resulted in your injuries. You should always keep a record of all corrective treatments done to fix the error caused by the negligent doctor. Having a testimony that can show the impact of medical malpractice on your daily life can be very useful in the case.
Hiring a Professional Georgia Medical Malpractice Attorney:
If you or your loved ones have suffered due to the negligence of a medical professional, speak to our experienced Georgia medical malpractice lawyer. Our attorneys have the right skills to protect your legal rights and obtain successful outcomes for your case.
