There are few people in Pennsylvania who want to undergo surgery. Despite their reluctance, many ultimately go under the knife in order to pursue an end result that they are hopeful will result in an overall improvement to their quality of life. Unfortunately, one woman claims that a surgical error actually caused her severe pain. Although a subsequent surgery lessened her suffering, she will likely experience it for the rest of her life.
According to court documents, the woman suffered from osteoarthritis. In an attempt to provide some relief for the chronic pain she was experiencing, she underwent a hip replacement. Unfortunately, she claims that the procedure actually caused more pain -- pain that she compared to going through an unmedicated childbirth.
As a result of the pain she was experiencing, she underwent a second procedure performed by a different surgeon. According to a representative for the woman, the original hip replacement had been implanted incorrectly, resulting in her pain. While the second surgery provided some relief, she claims that will she always experience pain as a result of the mistake. Although the original surgeon claims that the woman's pain was a result of her medical condition and that the manufacturer eventually recalled components of the replacement, a jury recently ruled in favor of the woman, awarding her and her husband a total of $1.3 million in damages.
As many victims of medical malpractice in Pennsylvania can likely attest, a surgical error such as this can have serious ramifications on a person's life. As a result, many people seek justice in a civil court. A successfully presented case can not only result in an award of damages to help with medical costs and other expenses stemming from such negligence, but it can also protect future patients from similar harm.