We just found out that an Allegheny County jury has awarded $19 million to a woman who says her stomach was removed for no reason during surgery.
This all began in 2011 when Rebecca Ball, who was 29 at the time, went to see doctors at UPMC for severe gastrointestinal problems. She says that when doctors could not figure out what was wrong with her, they removed her stomach. When they did, they discovered she had something called intestinal malrotation, something that could have been diagnosed with a simple test that was never performed.
A law attorney and teacher at Duquesne University, Peter Giglione, says that “A lot of people think that when they see a verdict like that, it’s just a windfall to a patient or their family, and in cases like this, that’s really not the case. Most of that money’s going to pay for her care.”
Ball is going to require tube feeding and constant medical care for the remainder of her life. As Giglione says, “It’s a life-changing event for her.”
At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we want to help if you have been the victim of a similar incident. If you need a Philadelphia surgical malpractice attorney, you can count on us to be by your side.
The medical community, and the people of the US, were showed to discover the medical mistakes account for more than 250,000 deaths annually in the United States. That makes them the third leading cause of death.
It is unfortunate that many of these mistakes happen during surgery. We have all heard of the surgical “never events” that can include:
These just happen to be the most reported surgical errors, but they do not show us a complete picture of all the mistakes that can happen in surgery. We do not really know how often more “minor” surgical errors occur because there are not astringent reporting requirements. Often, those errors are just as deadly.
There are so many people involved in a surgical operation: doctors who make a diagnosis, nurses who prep a patient and are involved in the surgery, the surgeons responsible for performing the surgery, etc. We expect them all to be professional and operate with a high standard of medical care.
What happens if they fail to do that?
If you or a loved one have suffered from a surgical mistake, let us help. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, our qualified and experienced team will be by your side, fighting to secure the compensation you deserve. This includes:
When you need a Philadelphia surgical malpractice attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.
