Medical Malpractice and Gallbladder Surgery
As patients, we have every right to expect licensed medical professionals to provide us with care of a reasonable standard. The key word here is “reasonable”; healthcare providers are not expected to be superhuman or flawless in the commission of their duties, but they are expected to be competent. If they fail to provide care of a reasonable standard, and a patient is injured or killed due to this failure, they can be held liable for the losses and expenses sustained by that patient under medical malpractice law.
Personal injury attorney Norm Younker has extensive experience and a history of success in handling medical malpractice cases arising from a variety of botched surgeries, including gallbladder surgery. If you or someone you love is in need of a skilled lawyer to represent your claim involving medical malpractice and gallbladder surgery in the Salt Lake City, UT region, Mr. Younker has the skill, resources, and wherewithal to handle your case.
Gallbladder Surgery Malpractice
The purpose of the gallbladder is to store and release bile, which breaks down fats so that they can be more easily absorbed by the digestive tract. Bile is essential to the proper function of the digestive system. When the flow of bile is blocked by gallstones, the result is improper function of the digestive system and, often, intense pain. While gallstones may pass on their own, surgical intervention is often necessary.
While the gallbladder can be removed without causing harm to patients, the bile duct must remain intact. When performing gallbladder surgery, surgeons must use extreme caution not to harm the bile duct in any way. If they do harm the bile duct, whether by a slip of the hand or by mistaking it for the cystic duct, which is also attached to the gallbladder, the result can be serious injury or even death.
What is medical negligence?
When you entrust your health to a medical professional such as a surgeon, that surgeon owes you a duty of care. In order to fulfill this duty, he or she must provide treatment to you that is consistent with the treatment that a reasonable and competent surgeon would provide under the same circumstances. In the context of medical malpractice, the failure to provide treatment that accords with this standard is defined as negligence. This failure can take the form of an action, such as a surgical mistake, or an inaction, such as not responding in a timely fashion to an emergency situation that should have been anticipated.
When medical negligence results in injury to or the death of a patient, the healthcare provider (or providers) responsible for that injury or death can be held financially liable for any resulting losses and expenses if a claim is successfully pursued in a civil court.
Arrange for an Evaluation of Your Gallbladder Surgery Medical Malpractice Case
If you or someone you love has been injured due to medical malpractice while undergoing gallbladder surgery, or if you have lost a member of your family due to such malpractice, please contact Norman J. Younker today for an evaluation of your case.