Although surgical fires are rare, they are extremely serious events that can lead to longstanding injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured by a fire in the operating room, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, our diligent and hard-working Syracuse surgical malpractice attorneys can thoroughly examine the facts of your case and help you figure out what happened.
Surgical fires are defined as fires that occur in, on, or around a patient who is undergoing a medical or surgical procedure. According the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, approximately 550-600 surgical fires take place each year. Shockingly, the patient’s body can catch fire, leading to serious injuries, disfigurement, and, in the most serious cases, even death.
While certain medical mistakes may be understandable, some are so shocking and extreme that they should never have happened. These events are commonly known as “never events,” referring to events that should never happen. Dr. Ken Kizer, former CEO of the National Quality Forum (NQF), first coined the term in 2001. Unsurprisingly, patient safety groups have deemed surgical fires as never events.
So how do these fires even happen in such a setting? For fires to occur, heat, fuel, and oxygen must be present. Often, as part of a procedure, a patient is provided with supplemental oxygen that can act as a fuel for fire. A surgeon’s electrosurgical equipment can then create an ignition, which causes the fire.
Unfortunately, human factors are often the root of surgical fires. If you or someone close to you was injured in a surgical fire caused by a medical professional’s negligence, you may be able to recover compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and any other losses you suffered through a medical malpractice claim.
Medical malpractice is a broad term that may encompass a wide range of actions and omissions by a medical provider. Put another way, medical malpractice takes place when a medical professional fails to act in a manner that is consistent with accepted norms of practice in the medical community, thereby causing injuries or death to a patient. For example, if surgical drapes are being used in a procedure, a medical professional should be cautious. Essentially, a responsible medical professional should be vigilant about monitoring surgical drapes that can become saturated in alcohol-based liquids and potentially catch on fire during surgery.
Medical device manufacturers may also be found liable if it can be shown that the cause of the injury was a result of a defective or poorly designed product or faulty machinery. We can examine the facts of your case and identify all potentially liable parties.
Undergoing surgery always involves risks, but a surgical fire is one you may not have considered. If you or someone you know has been injured due to medical malpractice involving a surgical fire, you need to contact one of the experienced Syracuse medical malpractice attorneys at DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers. Our skilled surgical malpractice attorneys are dedicated to building the strongest possible case for each of our New York clients. For more information about your rights and options, call us at 833-200-2000 or contact us through our website.
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