Medical Malpractice and Cosmetic Surgery

ReleaseWire

Anchorage, AK -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/19/2018 -- In 2014, Americans spent more than 12 billion dollars on cosmetic surgery both surgical and non-surgical. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons there were more than 10 million cosmetic procedures performed in 2014 alone. It is correct to say that the plastic surgery industry is a booming one. One study shows that medical errors claim the lives of 400,000 people each year and are recorded as being the third leading cause of death in the United States. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an article on May 21, 2018 entitled 'Woman Left Brain Damaged After Cosmetic Surgery', discussed malpractice lawsuits against Lilburn doctor due to unsafe practices and unqualified staff who performed cosmetic surgery for a patient that ended up suffering permanent brain damage.

People decide to undergo cosmetic surgery for a different range of reasons; such surgery can include fixing a large or crooked nose, getting rid of wrinkles or removing a disfiguring scar. Regardless of why someone chooses to undergo cosmetic surgery, it is important to know that cosmetic surgery comes with the same risks associated with any other surgical procedure. Because cosmetic surgery is closely associated with correcting something that is wrong, when cosmetic surgery goes wrong it can cause both physical and emotional scars. If the operating surgeon is negligent in any way, he or she may be liable for the resultant injuries.

If the manner in which the surgery was executed does not meet the minimum standards that are acceptable in the medical community, the surgeon may be liable for any injuries that result from the surgery and this constitutes medical malpractice. Some of the most common causes of cosmetic surgery malpractice include cases in which the medical professionals performing the cosmetic surgeries are not board-certified plastic surgeons. This is true in the case of the Lilburn doctor, mentioned in the outset, who left a patient with permanent brain damage. The article states that the doctor advertised "that she is board-certified in both surgery and dermatology. The AJC (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) found that while she is a board-certified dermatologist she is not a board-certified plastic surgeon or general surgeon."

Other common causes of cosmetic surgery malpractice include performing procedures in a private office rather than a hospital that is equipped to handle unexpected complications, using nurse anesthetists in order to save costs rather than using an anesthesiologist, failure on the part of the surgeon to take full details on patient history, operating on the wrong body parts and performing a procedure that exceeds the patient's informed consent.

It is important to realize that people who fall victim to plastic surgery errors face a unique set of issues when it comes to pursuing a medical malpractice lawsuit. In many cases juries are unsympathetic towards cosmetic surgery patients because they consider plastic surgery to be an unnecessary medical procedure that people pursue in order to look younger, slimmer, and more attractive to other people and there is no legitimate medical condition. Additionally, juries assume that because the procedures are often elective and not covered by insurance, the plaintiff has an expendable amount of income to afford such procedures. As a result, you will need the best Anchorage attorney to represent your interests in a medical malpractice lawsuit related to cosmetic surgery.

About Crowson Law Group
Crowson Law Group is a law firm of renowned professionals who focus on personal injury matters. Additionally, Crowson Law Group is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers. For medical malpractice cases, it is important to seek out top Anchorage attorneys.