Earlier this month in Gretna, Louisiana, a man filed suit against a physician after he developed a serious infection in his pubic region after a penile implant operation. According to a report by the Louisiana Record, the man went into Ochsner Medical Center on July 7, 2010 for the surgery.
In preparation for the surgery, the physician shaved the man’s pubic
area but did not obtain consent to do so. When the man awoke, he noticed
that the area looked as though there were several ingrown hairs in his
pubic region. As the day went one, the swelling increased, and the skin
became incredibly tender to the touch. When the man told the doctor about
his condition, the doctor told him to put ice on it.
After three weeks went by, the man had to go in to the hospital again to
have necrotic tissue removed from the affected area. Evidently, the diagnoses
was “gangrene due to a moderate methicillin resistant staphylococcus
aureus (MRSA) infection.” After leaving the hospital, the man had
to spend three weeks recovering in a nursing home before he was able to
go back home.
The plaintiff is claiming that the doctor failed to provide the standard
of care that other doctors in the situation would have provided in the
same situation. This is called medical malpractice, or medical negligence.
Specifically, the man is claiming that the physician failed to:
- provide proper medical care,
- provide a sterile and sanitary surgical environment,
- properly train and supervise personnel,
- practice medicine with the necessary skill and prudence,
- properly clean surgical equipment, such as razors used for pre-operative shaving, and
- prescribe proper antibiotics post-surgery.
Recovering Financially after a Medical Malpractice Incident
Due to their intersection between law and medicine,
medical malpractice cases are some of the most complex cases in the legal system. They often
require a number of experts to testify and can last a number of years
in some cases due to the rigid procedural requirements and complex subject
matter. Therefore, it is highly advised if you have been the victim of
a physician’s negligence that you immediately consult with a medical
malpractice attorney about your potential case. In most cases, there is
also a statute of limitations that requires a lawsuit to be brought within
a certain amount of time, or else the plaintiff will be prevented from
bring the suit at all.
Have You Been the Victim of a Doctor’s Negligence?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a medical malpractice
incident, you may be entitled to substantial monetary compensation. To
learn more about medical malpractice cases, and to discuss your case with
a dedicated Maryland malpractice attorney, contact one of the lawyers
at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman & Offutt. The skilled attorneys at WVF
have decades of combined experience bringing all kinds of medical malpractice
cases. Call (410) 567-0800 to set up a free initial consultation with an
attorney today. You may be entitled to a substantial settlement.