Woman Files Lawsuit After Surgeons Remove Spleen Instead of Kidney

 Posted on July 15, 2022 in Medical Malpractice

Most people are nervous before a surgical procedure, and this anxiety is understandable. While many surgeries are performed successfully, medical mistakes do sometimes occur. One such mistake has been making national headlines because the error is so egregious, it is almost unbelievable.

A 55-year-old woman underwent surgery in June 2021 to have one of her kidneys removed. When pathologists examined the removed organ, they were shocked to discover that the organ was not a kidney. Surgeons had removed the woman’s spleen instead of her kidney by accident.

It is important for victims of a surgical error to know their rights. You may be able to hold the negligent medical provider accountable and recover financial compensation for your damages.

Surgical “Never Events” Can and Do Happen  

The victim of this incredible mix-up has been deeply affected by the ordeal. Not having a spleen puts a person at a higher risk of infection and can also make it harder for the body to fight illnesses. In addition to losing a healthy organ, the woman must undergo yet another surgery to have her kidney removed.

Surgical errors like these are often called “never events” because they should never happen. However, studies show that wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-patient mistakes occur at a rate of about 1 in 112,000 procedures.

Surgical Malpractice Claims

Extreme surgical mistakes like performing the wrong operation, operating on the wrong patient, or leaving a foreign object inside of the patient’s body can have life-changing consequences. Victims may need multiple additional surgeries to correct the mistake as well as ongoing medical care. They may suffer from nightmares, anxiety, or depression because of the incident.

A medical malpractice claim may be used to recover financial compensation for surgical mistakes. Compensation may be available for medical expenses, lost income, and lost earning capacity. Non-economic damages including physical pain, disfigurement and scarring, and psychological suffering may also be compensable.

Contact a Cook County Surgical Errors Lawyer

A surgical mistake can lead to additional medical procedures, lost wages from missed work, and avoidable mental and physical pain. If you or a loved one were the victim of a surgical mistake, contact Schwartz Injury Law for help exploring your legal options. You may be entitled to financial reimbursement.

Our Orland Park personal injury attorneys have recovered over $2.5 billion in settlements and verdicts in the last five years. We are committed to holding negligent medical providers responsible. Call us at 708-888-2160 for a free consultation to learn more about our services.  

Sources:

https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primer/wrong-site-wrong-procedure-and-wrong-patient-surgery

https://www.dailywire.com/news/doctors-took-out-wrong-organ-in-botched-surgery-that-took-five-specialists-to-unravel-lawsuit