Many fears exist for Wisconsin patients when they agree to surgery. One fear is that the wrong body part or organ will mistakenly be removed by the surgeon. An incorrect surgery on the wrong body part is considered to be a “never event” because medical experts believe “never events” to be completely preventable. Recently, a man in another state was awarded almost $900,000 in his medical malpractice lawsuit for the removal of the wrong testicle.
It was determined that the man could benefit from surgical removal of one of his testicles when he reported it to cause him constant pain. An ultrasound revealed that a previous injury to the organ had created permanent damage and scarring. Although the surgeon successfully removed one of his testicles, it was discovered that he removed the undamaged one. The surgeon documented in his postoperative report that he was aware soon after surgery that he had mistakenly removed the wrong one.
It is unknown how the mistake occurred, but the surgeon claimed that the testicles must have switched places as he performed the surgery. The almost all female jury did not agree with the surgeon’s reason for the mistake and deliberated less than two hours before announcing the verdict in favor of the patient. Reportedly, the man still suffers pain four years after the surgery and is fearful to have another surgery to have the remaining testicle removed.
Many patients maintain hope that they will not be the victim of medical malpractice. Unfortunately, medical mistakes do occur and can have lasting damaging effects on patients. Patients may be subject to pain, additional unexpected medical care and therapy. Depending on the extent of injury, patients may not be able to experience life as they did prior to the mistake. Patients who have suffered an unnecessary injury due to medical injury may benefit from speaking with an experienced attorney in Wisconsin to discover their legal rights and options to seek monetary compensation.
Source: The Washington Post, “He underwent surgery to remove his right testicle. When he woke up, his left one was missing.“, Amy B. Wang, June 18, 2017
