Are Medical Malpractice Lawsuits Common?

Miami Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Gives Family Justice

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Shapiro Law Group

In 2009, a Miami mother of two died while undergoing surgery to remove a two-inch skull tumor. After six years, a jury concluded that two South Florida surgeons had committed medical malpractice and awarded her family $7.5 million in damages.

According to the lawsuit, the patient bled out during surgery and the two surgeons operating did not notice. An attorney representing the family claims the surgery was not even necessary, and radiation and chemotherapy would have sufficed in removing the tumor. The now deceased woman had multiple myeloma, a type of cancer that does not always require surgery.

How Often Do Surgery Mistakes Lead to Medical Malpractice Lawsuits?

It seems the woman did not need the risky surgery in the first place, as there were other treatments available. However, this example is one of many where healthcare practitioners have put patients at risk by performing unnecessary procedures or surgeries.

There have been thousands of medical malpractice lawsuits for surgery mistakes. Statistics gathered by the National Practitioner Databank, a government database that tracks medical malpractice lawsuits, shows that from 2005 to 2013, there were more than 1,000 cases where doctors attempted to settle malpractice claims for performing unnecessary procedures and surgeries.

In the last few weeks, we have written about CT scans and C-sections becoming more commonplace in U.S. hospitals, even though the overuse of both procedures can carry risks to patients’ health.

We will continue to update our blog on cases where surgical mistakes and medical negligence have harmed patients.

Shapiro Law Group – Tampa Bay Medical Malpractice Attorneys

Tags: MedicalMalpractice

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“My dad lost his fingers on one hand due to malpractice after a successful surgery that did not involve fingers. For months we were told it was because of debris in his blood. It was not. Mr. Shapiro and his associates were relentless in getting the medical records until the "missing" page was sent. Then they had the hard and arduous job of finding a doctor willing to testify. An informative video and audio with the doctor's testimony was presented. Case closed. Because of their due diligence, a satisfactory settlement was reached. Mr. Shapiro's law firm worked hard, were extremely thorough, professional, and kept in constant communication throughout the whole stressful ordeal. Mr. Shapiro still remembers my parents and keeps in touch with my mom, even after 15 years have passed. That alone is impressive.”

Patti A.

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