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Surgical Complication Attorneys in Atlanta


Lawsuit for Surgery Mistakes

Every surgical procedure presents risks of complications. However, a competent and careful surgeon can alleviate many of these risks. Complications may stem from errors that may occur during the surgery, pre-operative or post-operative stages. Common surgical errors that lead to serious complications include:

Victims of surgical errors can pursue compensation for their injuries by filing a medical malpractice claim. A legitimate malpractice case requires proof that the plaintiff suffered harm as the direct result of the surgical error. Medical mistakes, including surgical errors, can be challenging to prove.

If you have suffered severe adverse health consequences as a result of complications from surgery, please contact our medical malpractice attorneys in Atlanta at to find out how we can help you.

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"My husband experienced a catastrophic injury while in surgery for a routine surgical procedure. This event changed our life immensely. Throughout the total ordeal, Wayne and Kim provided consistent legal advice and clearly communicated all aspects of our case to us in a timely manner...We appreciated Wayne and Kim's thoughtfulness and commitment to ensure a successful conclusion to our case."
- Former Client

Recent Surgical Complication Verdicts and Settlements

  • $2.2 Million - Hospital and neurosurgeon malpractice resulting in paralysis.

Click here for more verdicts and settlements.


Common Mistakes During Surgery

It is a common misconception that surgeons are the only potentially liable party when errors are made in surgery. In reality, most surgeries involve a team of medical professionals who all play a vital role in the procedure. Mistakes can occur at any point of a surgical procedure, including:

  • Pre-operative miscommunication: Errors are made when there is a lack of communication. During the pre-operative discussion, the surgeon should meet with the patient, ensure the patient is ready for surgery and discuss the procedure. The anesthesiologist should also meet with the patient to make sure the patient can handle the anesthesia.
  • During the surgery: Any error made in the operating room can have tragic results. The patient is vulnerable and unable to communicate. Therefore, the surgical team must communicate effectively to avoid serious mistakes that could lead to deadly complications.
  • Post-operative care: Patients are extremely vulnerable to infections and a number of other complications after surgery. The surgeon and post-operative staff are responsible for checking up on the patient. Hospital staff should closely monitor patient recovery.

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Getting the Compensation You Need

If you or a loved one is the victim of any of these serious complications (some of which are known as "never events"), please make sure you research your legal rights and options. You may be able to receive financial support for the many additional medical procedures you will require as well as compensation for your pain and suffering, lost wages and other related damages. In order to establish medical negligence in cases involving surgical complications, the injured patient or plaintiff must prove:

  • The existence of a duty owed by the doctor or medical professional to the plaintiff
  • The standard of care was violated
  • The violation directly caused the patient's injury
  • The patient suffered injuries and losses as a result of the doctor or medical professional's breach of duty

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Contact Our Georgia Surgical Complications Lawyers Today

If you or a loved one has suffered surgical complications as a result of medical negligence, please contact the Atlanta medical malpractice attorneys of Grant Law Office at (404) 995-3955 for a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation. We will work diligently to help you secure fair and full compensation for all your injuries, damages, and losses.

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Surgical Complications Indicating Possible Malpractice

Name of Procedure Risks
Adenoidectomy
  • Bleeding
  • Nasal speech
  • Nasal regurgitation of food or liquids
Anesthesia, general
  • Abnormal reaction to drugs
  • Injury to vocal cords or throat
  • Injury to teeth, lips, and tongue
  • Brain damage
  • Malignant hyperthermia
Angiography, cerebral
  • Injury to the arteries entered
  • Bleeding at the site of entry by catheter
  • Stroke
  • Blindness or brain damage
  • Emboli to the brain
  • Allergic reaction to the injected contrast medium
Angiography, coronary
  • Injury to the artery
  • Damage to heart
  • Mocardial infarction
  • Possible need for open heart surgery
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Bleeding at the site of entrance
  • Allergic reaction to injected contrast medium
Angioplasty
  • Paraplegia
  • Loss of extremity
  • Bowel infarction
  • Renal failure
Aortic Dissection
  • Stroke
  • Renal failure
  • Bowel infarction
  • Paraplegia
  • Death
Aortic Graft
  • Bleeding or Infection
  • Infection or emboli
  • Kidney failure or loss of limb
  • Inadequate blood to bowel or spinal cord
  • Myocardial infarction
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Death
Appendectomy
  • Infection
  • Bleeding
  • Intra-abdominal abscess
  • Leakage from the colon requiring colostomy
  • Hernia in the incision
Arteriovenous Shunt for Hemodialysis
  • Bleeding or infection
  • Damage blood vessel with risk of rupture
  • Recurrent thrombosis
  • Severe edema of extremity
  • Inadequate blood supply to extremity
  • Inadequate blood supply to nerves
Birth of child
  • Injury to bladder
  • Injury to rectum
  • Fistula between vagina and rectum
  • Hemorrhage possibly requiring hysterectomy
  • Brain damage to fetus
Blood Transfusion
  • Fever
  • Kidney failure
  • Heart failure
  • Hepatitis
  • AIDS
Breast Augmentation
  • Risks of use of silicon gel are excluded
  • Scar formation around implant causing hard breast
  • Deflation of implant
  • Loss of sensation to the nipple and breast
  • Persistent pain in breast
  • Distortion of breast mound
  • Leakage of implant contents
Breast Biopsy, Excisional
  • Infection and/or blood clot
  • Failure to obtain accurate diagnosis
  • Disfiguring scar
  • Failure to locate and remove abnormality
Cardiopulmonary Bypass
Carotid Endarterectomy
  • Blood clots
  • Infection
  • Stroke
  • Nerve injury causing mouth, throat, or tongue problems
  • Myocardial infarction
  • Death
Cataract Surgery
  • Loss of vision or decrease in vision
  • Loss of eye
  • Bleeding inside or behind eye
  • Painful eye
  • Droopy eyelid
Catheterization, central venous
  • Hemorrhage into chest cavity or elsewhere
  • Pericardial tamponade (compression of heart)
  • Cardiac arrest or stroke
  • Collapse of lung
  • Damage to blood vessels
  • Infusion of fluid into chest cavity
Cervix, Removal
  • Uncontrollable leakage of urine
  • Injury to the bladder
  • Injury to the bowel or intestinal obstruction
  • Injury to the urethra
  • Sterility
  • Pulmonary embolism
Cholecystectomy
  • Pancreatitis
  • Injury to the bile duct
  • Retained stones in the bile duct
  • Narrowing of the bile duct
  • Injury to the bowel
Coarctation of Aorta
  • Quadriplegia or paraplegia
  • Permanent hoarseness
  • Leakage of body fluid from intestines into chest
  • Loss of bowel and/or bladder function
  • Impotence in males
Colon Surgery
  • Infection of the incision
  • Intra-abdominal abscess
  • Leakage from colon and possible colostomy
  • Injury to other organs or blood vessels
  • Diarrhea, sometimes permanent
  • Formation of scar tissue causing intestinal blockage
  • Hernia in incision
Colonoscopy
  • Infection or bleeding
  • Perforation of colon or rectal wall
  • Cardiac arrhythmias
Dental Implants
  • Infection, bleeding, failure to heal
  • Permanent and disfiguring scarring
  • Premature loss of implant, or mobility
  • Loss of bone
  • Numbness of face or mouth
  • Fracture of jaw
  • Injury to adjacent teeth or sinus
Dilation and Curettage
  • Hemorrhage with possible hysterectomy
  • Perforation of the uterus
  • Injury to the bowel or bladder
  • Sterility
Ear Tubes
  • Persistent infection
  • Perforation of eardrum or cyst behind the eardrum
  • Need to surgically remove tubes
Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatogram (ERCP)
  • Infection
  • Perforation of esophagus, stomach, or intestines
  • Cardiac arrhythmias
  • Pancreatic inflammation
Endoscopy, abdominal
  • Puncture of the bowel or blood vessel
  • Abdominal infection
  • Operation to correct injury
  • Injury to urethra
  • Injury to bladder
Epidural, spinal
  • Abnormal reaction to drugs
  • Leakage of cerebrospinal fluid
  • Epidural blood clot or abscess
  • Broken needles or catheters
  • Incomplete analgesia
  • Back pain and/or paralysis
  • Severe headaches
Femoral Bypass Grafts
  • Bleeding requiring re-operation
  • Necrosis of skin around incision
  • Thrombi or emboli
  • Limb loss
  • Nerve damage
  • Myocardial infarction
  • Death
Fibroid Removal (Uterine myomectomy)
  • Uncontrollable leakage of urine
  • Injury to bladder
  • Injury to the urethra
  • Injury to the bowel and/or intestinal obstruction
  • Sterility
  • Pulmonary embolism
Gastrectomy or Phloroplasty
  • Infection of incision or inside abdomen
  • Bleeding requiring transfusion
  • Leakage from stomach
  • Inability to maintain weight
  • Chronic vomiting after eating
  • Diarrhea and need for vitamin B-12 injections
  • Recurrence of condition for which surgery was done
Hemodialysis
  • Hypotension, hemorrhage, sepsis, cardiac arrhythmias
  • Allergic reaction to tubing and dialyzer
  • Pulmonary edema
  • Air bubbles in the bloodstream
  • Seizure, hypothermia, fever
  • Viral infections such as HIV
  • Cardiac arrest
Hemorrhoidectomy
  • Bleeding
  • Post operative pain, especially with bowel movements
  • Temporary / permanent difficulty controlling bowels or gas
  • Recurrence of hemorrhoids
  • Narrowing of anal opening requiring repeated dilations
Hernia Repair
  • Infection
  • Bleeding
  • Recurrence of hernia
  • Injury to or loss of testicle or spermatic cords
  • Nerve injury resulting in numbness or chronic pain
Hysterectomy, abdominal or vaginal
  • Uncontrollable leakage of urine
  • Injury to bladder
  • Injury to urethra
  • Injury to the bowel and/or intestinal obstruction
  • Painful intercourse
  • Ovarian failure requiring hormone administration
  • Formation of fistula between vagina and rectum
Kidney Stone Lithotripsy
  • Bleeding in or around kidney
  • Obstruction of kidney by stone particles
  • Failure to completely fragment stones
  • High blood pressure
  • Loss of kidney
Liver Biopsy
  • Bleeding
  • Lung collapse
  • Internal leakage of bile
  • Puncture of other organs
Lumpectomy
  • Infection or blood clot
  • Disfiguring scar
  • Fluid collection in arm pit
  • Numbness to arm
  • Swelling of arm
  • Damage to nerves of arm or chest
  • Recurrence of cancer
Mastectomy, radical
  • Limitation of movement of shoulder or arm
  • Swelling of the arm
  • Loss of skin requiring graft
  • Failure to eradicate the malignancy
  • Injury to major blood vessel
Oral Surgery
  • Infection, bleeding, failure to heal
  • Injury to adjacent teeth
  • Numbness of face and/or mouth
  • Fracture of either jaw
  • Opening between mouth and sinus or nose
  • Tooth fragment in sinus
  • Dry socket
Penile Implant
  • Bleeding and infection
  • Penile pain or numbness
  • Injury to bladder or urethra
  • Problems with implantable prosthetic
Prostatectomy
  • Bleeding and/or infection
  • Injury to bladder, urethra, or rectum
  • Impotence
  • Retrograde ejaculation
  • Bladder blockage
  • Incontinence
Radial Keratotomy
  • Loss of vision or decrease in vision
  • Loss of eye
  • Variable vision
  • Radiating images around lights
  • Over or under correction
  • Cataract formation
  • Retained need for glasses
Radiation Therapy, Head/neck - Initial Reaction
  • Altered sense of smell, taste, or nausea
  • Difficulty swallowing, weight loss, fatigue
  • Hoarseness, cough, loss of voice
  • Hearing loss, dizziness
  • Dry and irritable eyes
  • Increased risk of infection and/or bleeding
  • Intensified by chemotherapy
Radiation Therapy, head/neck - Late Reaction
  • Tooth decay and gum changes
  • Bone damage in jaws
  • Hair loss, scarring of skin
  • Swelling of tissues under chin
  • Brain, spinal cord or nerve damage
  • Pituitary or thyroid gland damage
  • Second cancers developing
Radiation Therapy, Thorax - Initial Reaction
  • Skin changes, hair loss on the chest
  • Inflammation of the esophagus, heart sac, or lungs
  • Bleeding or fistula from tumor destruction
  • Intermittent electric shock-like feeling in the lower body
  • Increased risk of infection or bleeding
  • Intensified by chemotherapy
Radiation Therapy, Thorax - Late Reaction
  • Changes in skin texture, scarring, hair loss
  • Lung scarring or shrinkage
  • Narrowing of esophagus
  • Constriction of heart sac
  • Damage to heart muscle or arteries
  • Fracture of ribs
  • Spinal cord or liver damage
Radical Mastectomy
  • Limitation of shoulder or arm movement
  • Swelling of the arm
  • Loss of the skin of the chest
  • Failure to completely eradicate the malignancy
  • Decreased sensation or numbness
  • Injury to major blood vessels
Renal Biopsy
  • Injury to adjacent organs
  • Infection
  • Hypotension
  • Bleeding from the kidney
  • Intestinal perforation

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Additional Information

Contact us today for a free and comprehensive case evaluation.

We require no legal retainer or upfront fees,
and you pay nothing unless we prevail.

Phone: (404) 995-3955

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