Many Massachusetts residents hate to hear they need surgery. An operation might make the patient fearful that she has a serious medical condition, and the mere thought of being cut open by a doctor may make her queasy. Most of the time, these operations go through without a hitch, resulting in a successful surgery that may leave the patient healthier. Other times, though, a doctor makes a devastating mistake that can have life-altering effects.
One man had such a mistake happen to him, and he recently won a Medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor who operated on him. The lawsuit arose from a hernia operation that went wrong. During the operation, the doctor accidentally perforated the patient’s small intestine, and then failed to repair the unnecessary cut. The patient subsequently suffered an abdominal infection that left him bedridden for nearly six months. As a result of his long hospital stay, the man suffered deep bed sores and leg contractions that have left him partially relying on a wheelchair to get around.
The jury returned a verdict in favor of the victim, awarding him and his wife $6.7 million. Because the man suffered the injuries that left him unable to work and enjoy the things in life he once loved to do, he was awarded $5.2 million. His wife, who was forced to quit her job to become his caretaker, was awarded the remaining $1.5 million.
As evidenced by this case, medical negligence can cause a personal injury that leads to a worsened medical condition. Life may never be the same for these victims, as they may be physically impaired, unable to work, and have difficulty paying their medical expenses.
A Massachusetts attorney, however, can help medical malpractice victims seek the compensation they deserve. By attempting to show a doctor’s actions or inaction fell below the standard of care owed to the victim, an attorney will seek to establish medical negligence caused the victim’s injuries. Then, if the case reaches a settlement or a favorable final judgment, the victim may obtain compensation for both his economic and his noneconomic harm, including medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
Hospitals and doctors are supposed to make patients healthier. When a mishap leaves a patient worse off, she should seek to hold accountable those who have wronged her and recover for the pain that was inflicted upon her.
Source: The Ledger-Enquirer, “Jury awards Alabama couple $6.7 million in malpractice suit,” Tim Chitwood, Nov. 13, 2013
