Colon cancer is the second-most diagnosed cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Colonoscopies are an important tool for colon cancer detection. While these procedures are relatively safe, injuries due to malpractice do happen. If you or someone close to you has been injured during a colonoscopy, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, our Syracuse cancer malpractice lawyers are committed to protecting the rights of patients at every step of the way.
A colonoscopy is a procedure that enables an examiner, typically a gastroenterologist, to evaluate the inside of the colon (large intestine or large bowel). The American Cancer Society advises that both men and women should have regular colonoscopies, beginning at age 50, to screen for colorectal cancer. A person should continue getting regular colonoscopies until the age of 75. According to a 2011 article in the Medical Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the risk of serious injury from a colonoscopy is relatively low. However, possible complications from the procedure include the following:
- Perforations: this takes place when a hole is punched in your bowel, causing fecal matter to leak into the abdominal cavity, which can lead to sepsis.
- Cardiopulmonary complications: this involves complications involving the heart and lungs that are typically associated with sedation. They can range in severity.
- Bleeding: minor bleeding is not uncommon after a colonoscopy, but, in some cases, significant bleeding may necessitate surgery or transfusions.
- Infection; this may happen if the instruments being used in the procedure are unclean or not properly sterilized.
- Gas explosion: this can happen if gas is present in the colon, and electrical instruments are used. It’s extremely rare, but it is a possibility.
The aforementioned complications can have a variety of causes, including human error, failure to diagnose, and failure to treat complications. Many of the complications that arise from colonoscopy errors require immediate care to address.
If you or a loved one has been injured during a routine colonoscopy, you may be able to recover compensation for your harm through a New York medical malpractice claim. Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor fails to use the standard of care that a reasonably prudent doctor in the same specialty would have used in the same or similar circumstances. For example, a doctor cannot be liable simply for the development of a small perforation during the procedure. However, if the perforation was serious and caused by the doctor failing to meet the expected standard of care, a malpractice claim may be appropriate. Put simply, the doctor’s substandard level of care must have been a direct cause of the injury.
If you have been injured due to a colonoscopy error, you need to reach out to one of our skilled Syracuse surgical malpractice attorneys as soon as you can. New York law entitles victims of malpractice to recover compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and more. We will meticulously analyze the facts of your case and determine your chances of recovery. We understand how to get our clients the maximum possible compensation in their medical injury cases. For more information about your legal rights and options, call us at 833-200-2000 or contact us online.
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