What if my surgery goes wrong?
Matt from Bonaire calls in to describe his recent experience with a minor finger surgery. During post-op, his lungs began to fill with fluids. He felt that his lung complication was due to an overdose of pain medication and anesthesia. Although he has a pace-maker and mechanical bowel, and he used the term “when they did finally get me back,” implying he may have been close to death from this complication, he was not admitted into the ICU nor was he connected to any type of monitoring equipment as he began his actual recovery from the surgery and complications. He would like to know if he has a medical malpractice case.
Attorney Virgil advises Matt to get his medical records and see an attorney right away. There is a two year statue of limitations on filing a medical malpractice suit in the State of Georgia. The Attorney must then contact a medical expert to see if there were both damages and liability. The liability portion of the case must show where the doctors or staff did not follow standard procedures of care. The damages portion of the case must show where Matt had suffered some type of injury or damage as a direct result of the liability. Only when these two conditions are met, does Matt have a medical malpractice case.
Attorney Virgil feels that the challenge for Matt’s case will be proving that he suffered injury or damage as a result of the poor quality of care he received at that medical facility.
