Surgical Mistakes Articles

$1.75 Million Awarded in New Hampshire Medical Malpractice Case

A jury in Manchester, New Hampshire, has found a Concord surgeon liable for damages in a claim brought by a man who went blind during surgery to fix a broken leg.

Former Professional Football Player Added to Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

Former Dallas Cowboys running back Ron Springs is one of the plaintiffs named in a federal lawsuit challenging a cap on the amount of damages that can awarded for pain and suffering in Texas.

Lawsuit Filed after Defective Medical Device Destroys Man's Heart

A Washington man whose heart was irreparably damaged during bypass surgery has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of a monitor used to control blood flow.

Half of U.S. Doctors Don't Report Medical Mistakes, Study Says

A recent survey indicates that nearly half of American doctors may fail to report medical errors made by their colleagues.

Lab Mix-Up Leads to Double Mastectomy; Lawsuit Filed

A woman who underwent a double mastectomy due to a mistaken cancer diagnosis has filed a lawsuit against a New York medical lab.

Medical Malpractice Case Involving Surgical Error Settled

A Hopedale, Illinois, woman who sued her doctor for medical malpractice settled on Wednesday for an undisclosed amount of money.

Hospital Agrees to Pay Patients $7.4 Million

A Louisiana hospital has agreed to pay $7.4 million to resolve its portion of a class-action lawsuit charging a cardiologist with performing unnecessary medical procedures.

Jury Awards $1.3 Million in Case against Surgeon

A jury in Montgomery County, Virginia, recently awarded $1.3 million to the adult children of a woman who died due to complications resulting from surgery to remove an ovarian cyst.

Notre Dame Coach Set for Malpractice Suit over Near-Fatal Surgery

Five years after undergoing gastric bypass surgery for chronic morbid obesity, Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis will confront his surgeons in court. His suit alleges that his doctors were negligent and that their carelessness nearly cost him his life.

$16 Million Awarded in Florida Brain Surgery Malpractice Suit

Miami resident Lourdes Landis, 48, was awarded $16 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit after an alleged unnecessary surgery resulted in brain damage.

Pennsylvania Boy Left Severely Brain-Injured after Tonsillectomy Receives $6.2 Million Settlement

Jahmir Bates was 8 years old in August 2005, when a routine tonsillectomy left him blind and unable to speak, eat, or walk. Allentown’s Sacred Heart Hospital agreed to the settle the lawsuit that resulted and to implement safety measures to prevent similar accidents.

Jury Awards $8.25 Million to Injured Plastic Surgery Patient

A jury in Collier County, Florida, recently awarded $8.25 million to a woman who lost both of her breasts during a plastic surgery procedure.

Brain-Damaged Surgery Patient Receives $3.5 Million in Lawsuit

A woman who suffered brain damage after undergoing gastric bypass surgery was recently awarded $3.5 million by a jury in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The medical malpractice award is thought to be the highest ever in the Fredericksburg area.

Florida Jury Awards $11.4 Million to Injured Surgery Patient

A Palm Beach County jury recently awarded $11.4 million to a man who suffered brain damage after rods implanted in his spine during surgery migrated to his brain.

$28 Million Medical Malpractice Verdict Overturned

Florida Circuit Judge Debra Nelson threw out a $28 million verdict after determining jurors lied about prior litigation during jury selection, resulting in an unfair trial for gynecologist Robert Bowles.

Defense Attorneys Scrutinize Jurors on Recent Malpractice Verdict

In April, a $28 million verdict was handed down in a medical malpractice suit. Now, defense attorneys hope to decrease that amount by attacking individual jurors and claiming the entire panel was prejudiced.

Lawsuit against gynecologist ends in $5 million verdict

Earlier this week, a jury in Cook County, Illinois awarded $5 million to a woman who lost the use of her vagina following a hysterectomy and a procedure designed to treat frequent urination.

Woman injured during surgery wins $2 million in lawsuit

A jury in Will County, Illinois recently awarded $2 million to a woman who suffered painful nerve damage during a surgical procedure that was allegedly unnecessary.

Several Southern California surgical patients at risk due to unsterilized equipment

Scripps Hospital La Jolla recently announced that a hospital nurse has been improperly sterilizing equipment used during gastric bypass surgery.

Connecticut family awarded $17 million for daughter's botched C-section

A Norwalk hospital, a former doctor, and his practice have agreed to pay about $17 million to settle a lawsuit filed on behalf of a woman left in a vegetative state after a routine Caesarean section.

Death of surgery patient prompts $1 million verdict against hospital, surgeon

An Oahu jury recently issued a $1 million award in a malpractice case against a Honolulu hospital and surgeon accused of negligence in the death of a surgery patient.

Surgical mistakes on the rise

Despite recent efforts to improve patient safety, surgical mistakes, involving removal of the wrong limb or organ, working on the wrong area of the body, and even performing surgery on the wrong patients are increasing.

Lawsuit against gynecologist results in $28 million verdict

A jury in Seminole County, Fla. recently awarded $28 million to a woman who claims she can no longer urinate naturally since undergoing an operation to correct minor incontinence.

Florida woman awarded $28 million in medical malpractice lawsuit

Jeanette Davis, a 42-year-old Florida resident, received $28 million for a faulty operation she underwent in 2001. Davis sued her gynecologist for botching the surgery that left her unable to urinate naturally.

Maryland family awarded nearly $1 million in medical malpractice/wrongful death suit

A Frederick County Circuit Court jury has awarded $935,000 to the family of a man who died about two weeks after having his gallbladder removed at Frederick Memorial Hospital.

Jury delivers $2.65 million medical malpractice verdict

A Pennsylvania jury recently awarded $2.65 million to the family of a woman who died less than a week after undergoing elective surgery to correct a bowel problem.

Family receives $6.5 million in hospital negligence case

In Wood County, W. Va. a jury recently awarded $6.5 million in a lawsuit that alleged an area hospital destroyed medical records to cover up the cause of a patient's death.

Botched back surgery leads to $5.6 million malpractice verdict

The family of a man who died after receiving a screwdriver implant in his spine during surgery was awarded $5.6 million by a jury in Hilo, Hawaii, yesterday.

Jury Awards $7.5 Million to Family of Boy Who Died During Surgery

The family of a 12-year-old boy who died while undergoing wrist surgery was recently awarded $7.5 million by a jury in Lake County, Ill.

Gynecologist Faces $2.5 Million Malpractice Verdict

A jury in Cooperstown, New York ordered obstetrician Khalid Parwez to pay $2.5 million to a former patient this Wednesday, finding Parwez acted negligently during a routine gynecological procedure.

Doctor to Represent Himself in Screwdriver Lawsuit

Opening statements were heard this week in the case of a Hawaii surgeon being sued for inserting the broken shaft of a screwdriver in a patient's spine during back surgery.

Military Wife Awarded $2 Million After Faulty Diagnosis

The wife of a naval officer treated at Jacksonville Naval Hospital was awarded $2 million earlier this month after a federal judge ruled that her ovaries and uterus were unnecessarily removed by doctors.

Surgeon on Trial for Negligence, Wrongful Death

Earlier this week, the trial began of a Massachusetts doctor accused of causing the premature death of a patient by failing to utilize appropriate standards of care in performing thoracic surgery.

Medical Malpractice Victim Awarded $8 Million

A Waupun, Wis. resident was awarded more than $8 million this week in the largest medical malpractice verdict handed down in Wisconsin since the State Supreme Court overruled the noneconomic damages cap last summer.

Botched Surgery Victim Receives $1.56 Million

A man who became legally blind after undergoing elective back surgery was recently awarded $1.56 million by a jury in Randolph County, W. Va. The jury also awarded $300,000 to the man's wife.

Trial of Surgeon Accused of Negligence Underway

The malpractice trial of a Missouri doctor who is accused of failing to provide proper postoperative care to a nasal surgery patient began yesterday in Greene County Circuit Court.

Illegal Body Parts Scheme Likely to Set Off Lawsuits

A Long Island woman who allegedly contracted a virus from a cadaver bone implanted in her back plans to join a long list of potential plaintiffs across the country caught up in a large-scale scandal involving the illegal collection and sale of body parts from the dead.

Patient Awarded $280,000 For Surgical Instrument Left in Abdomen

A Belmont, Massachusetts man was awarded $280,000 last Thursday after a jury found two doctors negligent for leaving a foot long surgical instrument in his abdomen.

Family of Woman who Died Following C-Section Awarded Malpractice Verdict

A jury in Riverhead, New York awarded $13.1 million to the family of a woman who died after undergoing a C-Section delivery at a hospital in Smithtown.

Malpractice Suit Filed Against Dentist, Center of Organ Harvest Investigation

A Manhattan oral surgeon stands accused of injuring a patient during surgery while being dependent on drugs. The dentist is also the center of an investigation concerning the illegal sale of human body parts.

Man Sues Surgical Team for Removing the Wrong Testicle

A Utah man has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against a team of doctors at St. Mark's Hospital for allegedly removing the wrong testicle during a surgical mix-up that occurred in 2003.

Woman Awarded $200,000 in Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

A Superior Court jury in Cochise County, Arizona awarded $200,000 to a woman after finding that she was forced to undergo various surgeries following a botched procedure performed by a Douglas surgeon.

Surgical Mistake Costs Cook County $35 Million

A woman who suffered severe brain injuries during a failed appendectomy procedure at a Cook County Hospital will receive 35 million dollars if the county approves a medical malpractice settlement reached last month.

Missouri Woman Awarded $326,000 in Medical Malpractice Trial

A jury in Jasper County found in favor of a woman who was allegedly subject to substandard medical care at a hospital where she was taken and treated for appendicitis.

Parents Say Daughter May Have Died From Malpractice

The parents of a 4-year-old girl who died after undergoing a dental procedure have said they will likely file a wrongful death suit against the dentist's office.

Malpractice Suit Alleges Doctor Performed Incorrect Surgery

A Pennsylvania woman filed a malpractice lawsuit last week claiming that a doctor performed the wrong surgery on her in an attempt to treat her inflamed wrist.

Malpractice Suit Claims Surgeon Performed Unnecessary Operation

An Idaho Falls doctor faces a lawsuit for allegedly performing an unnecessary surgical procedure on a patient. The suit alleges that the procedure caused the patient to develop meningitis.

Illinois Hospital to Pay 6.5 Million to Victim of Botched Foot Surgery

A Hospital in Rockford, Illinois has agreed to pay 6.5 million to settle a medical malpractice lawsuit filed by the mother of a child who suffered permanent brain damage during routine foot surgery.

Jury Awards $800,000 to Woman Who Underwent Radical Mastectomy on Faulty Diagnosis

A Bronx jury awarded Ruth Byron $800,000 after finding that her doctor misdiagnosed her with cancer and removed one of her breasts.

Family of Wrongful Death Victim Awarded $14 million

A jury in Lubbock County, Texas awarded $14 million to the family of a woman who died shortly after undergoing a hysterectomy at a local hospital.

Judge Overturns Jury's Decision In Medical Malpractice Case

Judge David N. Hurd of New York's Northern District overturned a jury's decision that held that a doctor accused of causing serious injury to a teenage patient was innocent of malpractice.

Woman Awarded $1.5 Million Following Unsuccessful Breast Reduction Surgery

A jury in Roanoke, Virginia found Dr. Carol Wray guilty of malpractice after one of her patients had to undergo a double mastectomy to correct injuries from breast reduction surgery that Wray performed.

Malpractice Suit Brought Against Doctors, Hospital Following Death of Patient

The family of a prominent Florida man who died following hemorrhoid surgery is suing the doctors involved in the procedure and the corporation that owns the facility where it was took place.

Woman's Malpractice Case Reinstated by Nevada Supreme Court

In a 2--1 vote, the Nevada Supreme Court reinstated the case of a woman who is suing a doctor for leaving a needle inside her breast during breast lift surgery.

Woman Left Paralyzed By Surgery Awarded $700,000

On Friday, a jury in Roanoke, Virginia awarded $700,000 to a woman who became paralyzed from the waist down following spinal surgery at a facility in southwest Virginia.

Ruling Makes Punitive Damages Possible in Hospital Mix Up

Patients who filed medical malpractice lawsuits after a hospital mix up scored a victory this Monday when a Superior Court Judge signed an order allowing them to seek punitive damages.

Doctor Mistakenly Sews Through Woman's Small Intestine

On Friday, an inquiry into the medical practices of an Australian surgeon revealed that he had mistakenly sewn through a patient's bowel as many as 20 times in an attempt to close an abdominal incision.

Physician With Record of Medical Malpractice Applies for License in Texas

An OB-GYN who agreed to a settlement in a case where she was accused of allowing a patient to bleed to death has recently filed an application to practice medicine in the state of Texas.

Hospital Agrees to Pay $6.5 million to Patient Left in Vegetative State

According to an attorney, the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center recently agreed to a $6 million settlement for a patient who underwent surgery at the facility and incurred irreparable brain damage.

$2.3 Million Awarded to Widow of Man Paralyzed by Surgery

A jury in Chicago's Cook County Circuit Court awarded a woman $2.3 million after finding that her husband became paralyzed from a surgery he underwent at Advocate Christ Medical Center in 1994.

Federal Judge Awards Florida Man $1 Million in Medical Malpractice Case

The Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Gainesville was recently ordered to pay over $1 million dollars for providing substandard care to a former patient and causing him to suffer a potentially fatal condition.

2nd Lawsuit Filed Over Surgical Instruments Cleaned With Hydraulic Fluid

A second suit has recently been filed against two companies allegedly responsible for leaving hydraulic fluid in receptacles used by doctors at two North Carolina hospitals to clean their surgical instruments.

Medical Malpractice Case Filed Against Doctor Who Left Towel Inside Patient

Dr. Roger Thurman of Wilson Medical Center in Wilson, North Carolina, faces a lawsuit for leaving an 18" x 6" towel inside a surgery patient.

Illinois Woman Pursues Justice in Ongoing Medical Malpractice Case

The Illinois Supreme Court has given new life to Jan Sullivan's medical malpractice case against the doctor she claims to have seriously injured her through a botched abdominal surgery.

Sportscaster's Family Receives $1.95 Million in Medical Malpractice Case

A Manhattan jury found that three doctors who performed hip replacement surgery on former ESPN television and radio show host, Dick Schapp, acted negligently and ultimately caused his death.

Victim of Surgical Mistake Awarded $2 million

Jurors in Newport News, Virginia awarded Jerry Sinclair $2 million for brain damage he incurred during hip replacement surgery. An unsafe administration of anesthesia was found to be the cause.

Malpractice Suit Filed Against Physicians Who Removed Woman's Breasts on Mistaken Biopsy

A woman in Castle Rock, Colorado is suing the four Colorado Springs doctors who she claims mistakenly diagnosed her with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and subsequently removed her breasts.