People undergo medical procedures every day in order to improve their health. Some people will find themselves worse off than before whenever they become the victim of medical malpractice. Medical malpractice can encompass a number of things, but here are some of the strangest cases ever recorded.

1) Rhode Island Brain Surgery Fiasco

In 2007, doctors at Rhode Island Hospital performed brain surgery on the wrong side of a patient’s head not once, but three different times. In one instance, the doctor failed to mark which side of the head should be operated on. Another time, the doctor did not fill out a checklist beforehand. In the third instance, the chief neurosurgeon and nurse both clarified which side of the brain required surgery, and then proceeded to drill a hole in the other side of the head. All three of these cases involved different doctors.

2) Awake During Surgery

A number of patients will experience what is known as “anesthesia awareness” during surgery. This happens whenever they awaken during surgery and are able to hear what is going on in the background. There are two elements to anesthesia, one that deadens the pain, and another that renders a patient paralyzed. When anesthesia awareness occurs, patients are typically unable to signal doctors because the paralysis agent is fully effective.

3) Wrong Leg Amputated

In 1995, a Florida man entered a hospital in order to have his leg amputated. Doctors began performing surgery to remove the opposite leg instead. The mistake was discovered before the operation was complete; however, by that time, it was too late to reverse the damage. As a result, the man had to have both of his legs removed. The surgeon in charge of the operation was fined $10,000 and lost his medical license for six months.

4) Wrong Body Part Removed

The case of the Florida man is not an isolated incident, as doctors have also been known to remove the wrong body part from patients. A Minnesota man experienced this when surgeons removed the wrong kidney from his body, leaving one that was suspected of containing cancer intact. In Los Angeles, doctors also removed the right testicle of a man who was suspected of having cancer in his left testicle.

5) Failure to Provide Treatment

A woman entered King’s Hospital in Brooklyn New York in 2008 for treatment, and waited nearly 24 hours to see a doctor. She eventually collapsed on the floor of the emergency room, where workers simply ignored her thrashing about until she eventually passed.

Cases like these may be unusual, but they actually happen more often than people think. Medical malpractice victims may be entitled to relief for their damages, pain and suffering.

Get a Malpractice Attorney on Your Side

All it takes is one screw-up and your life is forever changed. If you have recently been to the hospital and suspect that the medical staff made mistakes that negatively affected you, then you need to speak with a personal injury attorney today to learn about your legal rights. Call 713-222-1222 in order to schedule a free case evaluation.

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