If you are on this page, it is likely because you or your loved one suffered a serious injury during a hysterectomy and other female-focused medical procedures. Injuries that may occur include a cut or nicked ureter, cut or nicked colon or bowel, or damage to the Iliac Artery. Our team of experienced Virginia Beach and Norfolk medical malpractice lawyers have handled these types of medical mistake claims and are willing to take these cases all the way to a jury trial. Let’s explore each of these injuries more in-depth and some examples of cases our medical negligence law firm has handled:
Cut/Burned/Damaged Ureters
The ureter is near the uterus, which is why it is possible for an OB/GYN to cut, nick, or sever a ureter during a hysterectomy. A cut ureter injury can result in serious complications since the wound may allow urine to leak into your abdomen. This may lead to toxicity and even sepsis (a life-threatening condition).
We represented a retired police officer in Newport News who went to her obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) due to abdominal pain. The OB/GYN evaluated her, ran some tests including X‑ray, ultrasound, and CT scanning, and told her she needed to have a hysterectomy. The OB/GYN negligently severed our client’s ureter during the operation and did not realize he had done so.
As our client got sicker, it was determined that her ureter was injured and numerous surgical procedures were required to correct this injury. Our client did not suffer any lost wages because she was retired. She had medical expenses of approximately $100,000.00. Our team of Virginia medical malpractice lawyers presented the evidence to the doctor’s insurance company and we were able to secure a $400,000.00 settlement for our client. Our hysterectomy injury law firm also obtained a $725,000.00 settlement for a client who suffered a perforated ureter injury and had to use a catheter for three months.
Cut/Burned/Damaged Colon or Bowel
When a bowel is torn, cut, or nicked during a hysterectomy, the contents may spill into your abdomen or abdominal lining (peritoneum). Your bowel is rife with bacteria, so you may wind up suffering from peritonitis, a severe inflammatory disease triggered by infection, and/or sepsis.
Our medical negligence attorneys represented a first-grade school teacher who underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. She was suffering from excessive vaginal bleeding and doctors discovered pre-cancerous ovarian cysts. Instead of being released the next day as planned, she was held in the hospital for an extra day.
She visited her OB/GYN who promptly re-admitted her to Sinai Hospital. After eight days of hospitalization, she was transferred to intensive care by a general surgeon due to shortness of breath and tachycardia. The exploratory abdominal surgery found several abscesses and a 1-centimeter perforation at the recto-sigmoid colon area. A perforation is a fancy word for cut. Basically, there was a 1-centimeter wound from her cut colon.
We recognized the serious harm that occurred and took this case all the way to a jury trial. The OB/GYN’s defense was essentially, “stuff happens” and denied any liability. After a 5-day jury trial, we convinced a jury to award $860,000.00 to our client (the exact amount we asked for during opening and closing statements). Click here to read our client’s incredible testimonial regarding the representation she received from her legal team.
Cut/Damaged Iliac Artery
Our client underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy at UVa Medical center in Charlottesville, Virginia. During the procedure, a resident, under the guidance of the doctor involved in the case, negligently severed our client’s bowel and lacerated her left and right iliac arteries, as well as causing massive internal bleeding. The emergency surgery team saved our client’s life repairing her iliac arteries. The small bowel was resected and repaired but, as a result, our client was placed in intensive care for three days before the actual hysterectomy ever was conducted. Then, our client spent another week recovering in the hospital before weeks of rehabilitation at home.
We recognized the severity of our client’s injuries and recognized that the supervising doctor should have done a better job of overseeing the resident during this complex medical procedure. As a result of this oversight, our client was seriously harmed accruing thousands of dollars in additional medical expenses and having permanent damage inflicted on her body.
The case went to trial (no settlement offer was made by the defendants) and over the course of a 3-day jury trial, our medical malpractice firm called multiple doctors to testify about the harm committed and the fact that this harm could have been prevented with better care. The jury deliberated for a few hours and returned a verdict in favor of the injured patient for a total of $650,000.00 in monetary damages, with interest set at 6 percent starting from the date of the injury in 2010. That means the total damages award is $825,000.
Time to Take Action
The Virginia Beach and Norfolk medical malpractice lawyers at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp are experienced in representing victims of laparoscopic errors. We are here to help. Call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (833) 997-1774 or fill out a quick contact form on this page. An actual medical malpractice lawyer will respond to your inquiry within hours. One of our lawyers will ask you questions about what happened and determine the best course of action. Your case may not meet our firm’s criteria, and we will explain the rationale for why we cannot move forward. If you have a viable claim, we can then set up a free, confidential consultation.