Three Recent Medical Tragedies Show the Potential Dangers of Even Common or Routine Procedures & Surgeries

Three recent medical tragedies have made the news, two involving young girls an one middle aged woman:

• A 54-year-old woman, Nicola Tweedy, a classroom assistant from Pulham Market in Norfolk, underwent routine surgery for varicose veins at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital on March 27 last year. Less than 48 hours later, she died at her home. Her family believe the hospital was guilty of a number of failings in its treatment of her and is considering suing the hospital for wrongful death.
• A 3-year-old Hawaiian girl named Finley Boyle suffered massive brain damage and died after undergoing a root canal procedure.
• A 13-year-old California girl was declared brain dead after suffering from complications after a tonsillectomy. This story made news here when New Beginnings Community Center in Medford, N.Y., said they were willing to take Jahi and provide 24-hour medical care after the family battled with Children’s Hospital Oakland, which wanted to remove her from the breathing machine that is keeping her heart beating.

Routine Surgeries are not 100% Safe, Sometimes Things Go Wrong

These procedures, as well as appendectomies, gall bladder removal and cesarean sections, are among the most common and are considered routine surgeries. However, that does not mean they are 100% safe or that things can’t go wrong.

Complications are very rare but do happen. In general, the most common post-surgery complications are bleeding, infection and damage to nearby tissue, according to Dr. Albert Wu, Director of the Center for Health Services and Outcomes Research at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

When Doctors Mess Up 

Sometimes complications happen because of the patient’s body—maybe they are overweight which can cause extra stress on the body or perhaps have preexisting condition such as a heart defects or other factors that increase the risk of complications. But sometimes the fault is completely with the doctor.

Medical errors kill more than 200,000 people every year in the United States.

Where you or a loved one involved in a medical procedure that did not go as planned? If you were injured, or if someone in your family was injured or died as a result of a medical procedure, we can help answer all the questions you may have during this difficult time and let you know your legal options. We provide free discussions with no obligation or fee. You don’t pay until we get you a settlement or verdict so there is never any money to lay out or financial loss on your part.

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