$1.9 Million Surgical Error Settlement

The Botched Surgery Case

Technological advances in the field of medicine have been astoundingly useful. When operated by trained physicians, these tech tools make procedures faster, more precise, and less susceptible to mistakes and complications.

Robotic assistants are especially helpful in surgeries. For instance, a tool called the da Vinci Surgical System or the da Vinci robot is now widely used and preferred by surgeons. It comes with a high-definition, 3D color monitor for doctors to better see and manipulate instruments inside the body. The machine has mechanical hands that hold surgical tools to make minimally invasive incisions and perform other tasks in the operation.

The key in effectively using such machines is the doctor’s ability. Without adequate training and experience in operating these tools, a medical professional could end up doing more harm than good.

That’s exactly what happened in a case handled by our team at Kassel McVey. Our client was a 55-year-old gentleman who had to undergo a prostate removal surgery due to cancer. His operation was done using a da Vinci robot, but the two surgeons involved had limited experience with the technology. They had previously completed only seven cases, and were now relying on a more experienced doctor for our client’s operation.

Despite the assistance, the two surgeons got lost during the dissection. By the end of the operation, they had removed only a small portion of prostate tissue. The patient then had a post-operative blood test to check his prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which would indicate if cancerous tissue was still in his prostate. The test revealed that his PSA level was now higher than expected due to the prostate tissue that was not removed from his body.

The two surgeons claimed that they believed they had removed the entire prostate, and that the high PSA level was due to residual cancer. They ordered radiation therapy for the patient, but to make matters worse, the radiation destroyed his bladder.

The whole ordeal cost our client greatly, both physically and financially. That’s why our team worked this medical malpractice case diligently and aggressively to obtain the compensation he deserved. At the end of the case, we successfully won him a settlement of $1.9 million.

Talk To Kassel McVey Today

Have you had a similar experience during a surgery or any other medical procedure? When an unskilled or undertrained doctor handles a procedure and surgical error may be involved, it may be considered a form of medical negligence. And if you or a loved one was harmed by it, you may have a medical malpractice case.

Talk to us at Kassel McVey to determine if you have a case and what your best legal options are. Our lawyers have obtained maximum compensation for clients who have suffered in costly medical procedures, and we can do this for you, too. Your consultation with us is free. Call us today at (803) 256-4242.