Richmond Unnecessary Surgery Attorney
Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Although healthcare professionals can make many different types of mistakes, unnecessary surgery is one that is very common. In most cases, unnecessary surgery occurs because patients were misdiagnosed with a condition or disease they did not have.
Surgery is a very difficult process that is painful, traumatic, and even emotionally distressing for many individuals. No one should have to go through it unless it is absolutely necessary. If you have been injured due to unnecessary surgery, our Richmond unnecessary surgery attorney are here to help.
What is Unnecessary Surgery?
Unnecessary surgery is a type of medical malpractice. It occurs when a surgeon or other doctor recommends or performs a surgery without considering other alternative treatments. In most cases, surgery is a last resort and doctors typically only recommend it as treatment when absolutely necessary. When doctors have failed to consider other alternatives available and rushed a patient into surgery, it may be unnecessary.
Why Do Surgeons Perform Unnecessary Surgeries?
Unnecessary surgery is so traumatic, it is natural for people to think that it does not happen that often. Unfortunately, unnecessary surgery is quite common and it occurs for many reasons. According to a 2017 study published by the Journal of Patient Safety, unnecessary surgery occurs for two reasons.
The first reason unnecessary surgery occurs is because doctors have been trained to recommend surgery first, or they simply do not have the knowledge to recommend alternative treatments. For example, a patient may see an inexperienced doctor for a heart condition. The doctor may know a bypass can help, but may not know other treatments are available and the patient may undergo surgery unnecessarily.
Surgery is costly and sadly, sometimes doctors and surgeons recommend surgery purely for financial gain or notoriety. For example, a patient may see a doctor for a very rare condition. The doctor knows that performing surgery on the condition is very difficult, but believes they can do it. As such, the doctor may perform the surgery to promote their own name without telling the patient about alternative treatments and without taking the patient’s health into consideration.
Types of Unnecessary Surgery
Any type of surgery could be considered unnecessary if there are alternative treatments available. However, some of the most common include:
- C-sections
- Spinal fusions
- Arthroscopic knee surgery
- Hysterectomy
- Heart surgeries
Any time a patient is the victim of an unnecessary surgery and suffers harm as a result, they should speak to a Virginia medical malpractice lawyer that can help them recover the compensation they deserve.
Call Our Virginia Medical Malpractice Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one has been injured due to an unnecessary surgery, our Richmond medical malpractice lawyers can help with your claim. At MichieHamlett, our attorneys have the necessary experience to hold surgeons accountable when they act negligently and we will work tirelessly to help you recover the maximum damages you deserve. Call us today at (434) 951-7200 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable attorneys.
