When a surgeon makes a mistake, the result can be catastrophic for a patient in Maryland. This is the situation one woman recently faced in an out-of-state case when a doctor allegedly left a particular surgical implement inside of her after a surgery. The woman has filed a lawsuit against the doctor as well as the medical center where the surgeon error reportedly occurred.
The woman said she had to undergo surgery to get a gastric band removed; this band had been placed inside of her at a previous time. Two days following the procedure, the woman began to suffer vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain. An ambulance ended up taking her to the hospital.
She said that, when a medical scan was performed on her, it was discovered that an object from the surgery was still inside her body. This foreign object -- the surgical implement -- had to be removed by the surgeon. The woman has accused the doctor of medical malpractice.
The woman is seeking damages for permanent disfigurement, medical expenses, the cost of related medical care in the future and permanent disability. She is also pursuing damages for emotional distress, mental anguish, and physical pain and suffering. When an individual in Maryland suffers harm at the hand of a doctor due to a surgeon error, he or she has the right to file a civil claim against the party alleged to have made the mistake. Compensatory damages may be awarded only if there is proof that the doctor failed to exercise a reasonable degree of care while working on the patient.