A recent article in the Washington Post examined a growing concern in the medical community, the drastic increase in certain types of surgical procedures and whether the are medically necessary. The article examined the large increase of spinal fusion surgery in the Unites States over the past two decades with 465,000 spinal fusion procedures performed in 2011 up form 56,000 in 1994. It is estimated that nearly half of these procedures were not medically necessary.
There are many reasons to perform spinal fusions, but an unnecessary medical procedure may result in great harm to a patient who has an adverse outcome. A medical malpractice lawsuit may be the only option for an injured patient to be made whole following a problem after an unnecessary spinal fusion or other procedure.
As the number of medical procedures performed across the country rises, the potential for life threatening mistakes and other complications rises as well. A medical malpractice lawsuit can provide compensation after an unnecessary spinal fusion due to the following medical errors:
- A doctor’s failure to diagnose or a misdiagnosis of an underlying condition.
- A failure to exercise the degree of care and skill expected of a reasonably prudent doctor in a similar situation.
- An honest mistake or an unforeseen complication, if the procedure was unnecessary in the first place.
An experienced medical malpractice attorney can properly evaluate and determine if an injury from an unnecessary spinal fusion was the result of medical negligence.
Lopez McHugh, LLP is investigating potential medical malpractice lawsuits and has a record of success on behalf of our clients. If you or a loved one has been injured and you suspect that it maybe the result of an medical malpractice from an unnecessary surgery, contact Lopez McHugh, LLP for a free case evaluation.
