Wrong-site surgery is a form of medical malpractice that should never happen, but it does. Patients across the country have suffered serious injuries because a surgeon operated on the wrong body part—or in some cases, on the wrong person altogether. If this happened to you or someone you care about, you may be entitled to financial compensation for the harm done.
These are high-stakes errors. They often result in unnecessary pain, additional surgeries, longer recoveries, and trauma that lingers long after the surgical wound heals. If you are a victim of wrong-site surgery malpractice in Tulsa, a surgery error attorney from our firm could help you figure out who is responsible and what steps to take next.
Although you might think that a system designed around checklists, confirmations, and consent forms would make this type of malpractice impossible, wrong-site operations still occur in Tulsa and all over the country. This is usually for reasons that trace back to preventable failures, including:
These failures open the door to mistakes like operating on the wrong part of the body, confusing patients with similar names or room numbers, or performing a different procedure than the one planned. Not only does this cause fresh injuries, but it may leave the original medical issue untreated, forcing the patient to start over with a more complicated situation.
Under Oklahoma law, a successful malpractice case requires proof that a provider did not meet the accepted standard of care. In other words, they acted in a way a competent provider would not have under the same circumstances.
Depending on what went wrong, liability may rest with:
Cases like this often need input from an independent medical expert to explain how care fell below the expected standard. One of our qualified Tulsa attorneys who understands medical malpractice, including wrong-site surgery, could handle that process and coordinate the necessary testimony.
Victims of wrong-site surgery in Tulsa may be eligible to recover both tangible and intangible losses from this type of malpractice. This may include:
In rare cases—especially where the error was reckless or repeated—punitive damages might also be awarded by a court.
Malpractice claims in Tulsa, including those related to wrong-site operations, generally must be filed within two years of when the injury was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered. If you miss that deadline, the court may dismiss your case.
You also have to include an affidavit of merit, which is a written statement from a licensed medical professional who has reviewed the facts and agrees there is reason to believe malpractice occurred. Our lawyers could help secure this affidavit and make sure all legal documents are properly filed.
Wrong-site surgery malpractice in Tulsa is a breakdown of the most basic patient safety protocols. If you or someone close to you has experienced this, legal action may help you cover the cost of treatment, hold the appropriate parties accountable, and start the process of healing.
Reach out to a medical malpractice lawyer in Tulsa to find out what options you have. An attorney from our firm could investigate what went wrong, explain your rights, and help you pursue the compensation you are owed.
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