The Washington Post reported in June 2011 that the Joint Commission released new standards to prevent surgery on the wrong patient of wrong surgical site. The Joint Commission, which is responsible for accrediting and certifying medical facilities on a national basis, released a statement that current estimates show about 40 occurrences per week of wrong surgery site medical malpractice.
The Commission refers to these as “never events” because they should never occur and are completely preventable when following proper protocol.
Recommended now are revamped protocols on the front end before surgeries, as well as more transparent reporting of events in order to analyze why this occurs and how to prevent further wrong site or wrong patient surgical errors. While some hospitals have offered minimal compensation, tragic cases belong in the hands of skilled medical malpractice attorneys who help guide injured patients to a financial recovery which would never be offered voluntarily by a doctor or hospital.
If you have been the victim of Medical Malpractice contact an attorney at Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP for a free consultation.
Edward A. Ruffo, Partner
Mr. Ruffo currently litigates cases at the state and federal levels in New York and New Jersey and has obtained numerous multi-million dollar medical damage awards for his clients. He has been annually ranked as a Top 10 and Top 100 Trial Lawyer by numerous professional societies including The National Trial Lawyers Association.
