We rely on orthopedists to treat injuries to the bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, including the spine. While the majority of orthopedists treat patients competently, some make mistakes that can seriously injure a patient. If you or a loved one has been injured due to an orthopedist’s error, you may be entitled to compensation. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, our Syracuse orthopedic malpractice lawyers are committed to holding negligent medical professionals accountable for the harm that they cause.
An orthopedist is a doctor who specializes in the branch of medicine concerned with the correction or prevention of deformities of the bones. Typically, an orthopedist will address functional abnormalities of the bones with surgery, casting, and bracing. A 2015 medical malpractice report conducted by Medscape surveyed nearly 4,000 physicians, including orthopedists, to find out why they were sued for malpractice. The report found that orthopedists are among the most likely physicians to be sued, just behind OBGYNs and general surgeons. In fact, 79 percent of orthopedists have been sued. The top three reasons orthopedists were sued included the following: the patient suffered an abnormal injury; failure to diagnose; and failure to treat. Other examples of orthopedist errors include but are not limited to:
- Placing a cast on too tightly and causing nerve injuries;
- Improperly using hardware (i.e., pins, screws, etc.) to fix a fracture;
- Using the wrong brace to heal a fracture;
- Improperly setting a fractured bone or treating a fracture;
- Failure to diagnose breaks, fractures, tendon injuries, or a nerve impairment; and/or
- Operating on a wrong part of the patient’s body.
At all times, an orthopedist must act in a way that provides patients with the minimum acceptable standard of care. Individuals who have been injured by orthopedist negligence may be able to file a medical malpractice case against the at-fault orthopedist. Medical malpractice takes place when an orthopedist causes injuries by deviating from the minimum acceptable standard of care: namely, the level of care that a reasonably prudent orthopedist would have used in the same or similar circumstances. In every New York medical malpractice case, the burden of proof in medical malpractice cases is on the plaintiff.
If malpractice is established, you may be able to recover a variety of damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, rehabilitation costs, and any other losses related to the accident. Each case is unique, but we can help you ascertain what your specific damages should be after a medical injury.
While most orthopedists provide competent and reliable care, sometimes things go wrong, resulting in an unexpected injury. If you or someone close to you has been injured due to an orthopedist’s negligence, you need to reach out a skilled Syracuse orthopedic malpractice attorney who can help. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, our extensive medical knowledge coupled with our access to medical experts gives us the ability to handle your case properly. You can trust that we are committed to pursuing the compensation you deserve for your injury. For more information, call us at 833-200-2000 or contact us online.
More Blog Posts:
Blood Transfusion Injuries in Syracuse, Syracuse Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, February 2, 2018
Overtreatment of Patients in Syracuse and Elsewhere in New York, Syracuse Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, February 9, 2018