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Home » Consumer Information » Medical Malpractice

Orthopedic Malpractice

We would be lying if we thought there is no risk involved with surgery. Most of the time, we take those risks into consideration, go through with the operation, the procedure is successful, and we continue on with our lives. While some surgical complications, which are addressed by the medical staff and reviewed with the patient prior to surgery, are completely unavoidable, others may arise due to negligence on the part of the surgeon or the surgical staff. Errors of this sort often lead to serious injury and occasional death.

When someone fractures their hip, and the doctor diagnoses the fracture improperly or treats the injury with negligence, the healed bone structure may not align properly. This can cause the hip to be deformed, which may lead to further problems. A hip fracture affects the upper region of the femur (thigh bone). According to a journal called The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the most common complaint filed against orthopedists is the negligent treatment of femur fractures. Negligent treatment of a bone fracture typically means any of the following errors were committed by the orthopedist:

  • Misdiagnosis of an x-ray
  • Failure to realign the bones and fragments properly
  • Failure to fit the patient with appropriate plates and screws, including size and type, to stabilize the fracture
  • Failure to position plates and screws correctly
  • Failure to take sufficient x-rays after the completion of bone repair in order to assess whether the bones are healing as expected
  • Failure to consider patient complaints regarding pain, inflammation and odd temperatures during the healing process.

A bone fracture treated negligently usually requires additional correctional surgery, which may have reduced odds of success.