You may remember the reports of a Florida surgeon who mistakenly removed a woman’s kidney during surgery. It happened when Maureen Pacheco went in for scheduled spinal fusion to alleviate her back pain. It was well documented on her medical records that she had a birth condition in which her kidney has ascended into her pelvic region. However, during the surgery, Dr. Ramon Vazquez mistook the kidney as a cancerous mass and removed it.
A settlement with the Florida Department of Health has been reached. In it, Dr. Vazquez must pay a fine of $4,800 and must give a lecture to the hospital where he works related to wrong-site surgery.
We are just glad that this medical mistake was not a fatal one, but it is still something that did not have to happen. Had Pacheco’s records been properly examined, it likely would not have.
At Vladimir Tsirkin & Associates P.A., we know that survivors of medical errors are often left with debilitating disabilities. If you need a Fort Lauderdale medical malpractice attorney, you can count on us to secure the compensation you deserve.
In the case above, an expert was brought in to go over the case. He said, “the surgeon should have reviewed the X-rays before the surgery and should have biopsied the mass prior to removal.”
For sure, most medical mistakes are not done intentionally. Most healthcare professionals do not want to tank their careers. However, many of them get complacent and that is why many mistakes happen.
Johns Hopkins studies tell us that medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in the United States, behind only heart disease and cancer. What we do not have solid numbers on is how many people survive medical mistakes, but estimates say it is anywhere from 2.5 – 5 million people annually.
How do these mistakes occur? Above, we see that surgical mistakes can be a major problem. Let’s look at some of the other common ways:
You may wonder if you can even successfully make your case when facing the legions of attorneys that doctors and their insurance companies put forward.
Yes, you can. With the help of Vladimir Tsirkin & Associates P.A., you can be sure that you have a skilled and experienced team by your side. We will fight to secure the compensation you need for all expenses related to the error. This includes:
When you need a medical malpractice attorney in Fort Lauderdale, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 305-831-4333.
