Medical Negligence Claims

Gallbladder surgery / Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Medical Negligence claims

The formation of stones in the gallbladder, blocking the bile duct, is a common and very painful problem. The most common method of removing a person’s gallbladder is through the use of laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery. The gallbladder is usually removed by clipping the cystic artery and the cystic duct and peeling the gallbladder from the liver bed.

There are many benefits to keyhole surgery, however in some cases mistakes are made giving rise to potential medical negligence claims.

A common surgical error during laparoscopic cholecystectomy is damage to the common bile duct which can in turn cause infection to the liver. Other injuries which can be caused by this type of surgery are: damage to major blood vessels, damage to the bowel and bladder damage. These can all require immediate surgery to repair the damage and can in some cases lead to serious and even life threatening infections.

Peritonitis

Peritonitis is an inflammation of the thin membrane lining, called the peritoneum, which covers the intestinal tract and surrounds the organs of the abdomen. Peritonitis is usually caused by damage to the intestine so that the contents (eg, bile from the gallbladder) escape and infect the peritoneum.

Peritonitis will normally require immediate surgery followed by antibiotics to treat the infection.

If you have suffered an injury caused by negligent surgery, you may be able to make a claim for compensation.

What can I claim?

The value of your claim will depend on a number of factors including:

• The nature of the injury or illness
• Whether you recover fully from the injury or illness or if it has a long term effect on your health and wellbeing
• The amount of any losses you incur as a result of the injury

You can claim compensation for the following things if they are a result of your injury:

• Pain, suffering and loss of amenity
• Loss of earnings
• Medical and nursing care costs
• Special equipment needed to carry out daily activities and any costs involved in adapting your home
• Other expenses incurred as a result of your injury, for example, travel expenses incurred whilst receiving medical treatment.

Contact us to speak to one of our specialist lawyers in total confidence and they will discuss the details of your claim.