Surgery is always a big deal. Whether it’s a planned procedure or an emergency, you’re putting your trust in a team of doctors, nurses, and anesthesiologists to protect your health and possibly your life. Most of the time, surgeries go as expected. But sometimes, things go terribly wrong because of preventable mistakes made in the operating room.
If you or someone you love has been harmed by a surgical mistake, talking with a surgical error lawyer is the first step toward getting answers and justice. At IllinoisLawyers.com, we have been providing free legal guidance and attorney referrals to the best medical malpractice lawyers in Illinois since 200.
In that time, we’ve helped thousands of Illinois residents connect with trusted surgical errors attorneys and guided families toward justice after devastating mistakes. Call our office at 312-346-5320 or 800-517-1614 to speak with an attorney for FREE today.
What are Surgical Errors?
A surgical error happens when a patient is harmed during surgery in a way that could have been prevented and is outside the usual risks of the procedure. Examples include operating on the wrong body part, leaving surgical tools inside the patient, causing nerve damage, or unintentionally injuring an organ.
These mistakes often result from miscommunication, lack of proper training, fatigue, or failure to follow safety protocols. The consequences can be severe, ranging from infections and internal bleeding to additional corrective surgeries.
Types of Surgical Errors
Surgical errors can take many forms, and some are less obvious than others. Beyond the common mistakes like wrong-site surgery or retained instruments, patients in Illinois also face these serious risks:
- Wrong-Site, Wrong-Procedure, or Wrong-Patient Surgery: Performing surgery on the wrong body part, carrying out the wrong operation, or even operating on the wrong patient altogether. These errors are considered “never events” because they should never happen.
- Retained Surgical Objects: Items such as sponges, clamps, or scissors are left behind in the body. These can cause infections, internal bleeding, or organ damage—and often require another surgery to remove.
- Anesthesia Errors: Too much or too little anesthesia can cause brain injury, awareness during surgery, or even death. Chicago anesthesia error lawyers often see cases involving failure to monitor vital signs or ignoring known allergies.
- Nerve or Organ Damage: Instruments can accidentally cut or puncture nearby organs, blood vessels, or nerves. These injuries may cause lifelong disability or chronic pain.
- Infections from Contaminated Instruments: Improperly sterilized surgical tools can introduce bacteria into the body, leading to life-threatening infections or sepsis.
- Falls During Surgery: Operating tables tilt and move, and if patients aren’t appropriately secured, falls can occur mid-procedure. These rare but devastating errors can cause fractures, spinal injuries, or worse.
- Surgical Fires: Electrical tools like cauterizers and lasers can ignite oxygen-rich environments in the operating room. While rare, surgical fires cause severe burns and disfigurement.
- Medication & Case Management Errors: Mistakes with surgical medications—wrong drug, wrong dose, or wrong delivery method—are surprisingly common. Poor documentation, mislabeling, or rushed procedures also put patients at risk.
- Unnecessary or Incorrect Surgeries: Sometimes patients undergo procedures that weren’t needed or that don’t address their actual medical condition, leaving them worse off than before.
Why Do Surgical Errors Happen?
Illinois hospitals strive to provide safe environments, but unfortunately, preventable mistakes still happen — sometimes with devastating consequences
Common factors that play a role in surgical mistakes include:
- Poor communication among the surgical team.
- Fatigue or rushing during long shifts.
- Inadequate training or inexperience.
- Faulty or outdated equipment.
- Skipping safety protocols, like marking the surgical site.
- Mislabeling specimens or charts.
Whatever the reason, the patient is the one who suffers. And when the error is linked to negligence, the law allows you to seek compensation with the help of a surgical error attorney Chicago residents trust.
Consequences of Surgical Mistakes
The fallout from a surgical error can be devastating. Some patients are left with permanent disabilities, while others tragically lose their lives.
Consequences often include:
- Extended hospital stays and additional surgeries.
- Permanent disability or loss of function.
- Brain or spinal cord injuries.
- Chronic pain or nerve damage.
- Infections that spread throughout the body.
- Emotional trauma and financial stress.
If this has happened to you or a loved one, working with an Illinois or Chicago surgical error lawyer can help hold negligent doctors and hospitals accountable.
How a Surgical Error Lawyer Can Help
A good lawyer doesn’t just file paperwork. They become your advocate, your investigator, and your voice when the hospital and insurance company try to avoid responsibility.
Here’s what an IllinoisLaywers.com attorney will do for you:
- Review medical records to uncover what went wrong.
- Consult experts to confirm negligence.
- File a malpractice lawsuit against the responsible parties.
- Negotiate settlements to recover fair compensation.
- Go to trial if necessary to fight for your rights.
Hospitals have entire teams of lawyers working to protect them. Having your own surgical errors lawyer levels the playing field.
Compensation in Surgical Error Cases
Medical malpractice lawsuits are about more than pointing out mistakes—they’re about helping families recover from the damage caused.
A Chicago surgical errors lawyer may be able to help you pursue compensation for:
- Medical expenses (past and future).
- Rehabilitation and therapy costs.
- Lost income or reduced earning ability.
- Pain and suffering.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Wrongful death damages for surviving families.
Find an Experienced Attorney with IllinoisLawyers.com
At IllinoisLawyers.com, we help you find a qualified attorney anywhere in Illinois. You can use our services to find lawyers for the practice area and location you need. Our value is simple—we give you free, unbiased guidance and connect you with trusted attorneys, the same way we’d advise our own family or friends. No lawyer ever pays us to be recommended.
Here’s what makes IllinoisLawyers.com different:
- Personalized referrals: We match you with the best medical malpractice lawyer for your case. We only recommend elite Illinois malpractice lawyers who we would suggest to family members or friends.
- Free, honest advice: We’ll talk to you like family and guide you at no cost.
- Trusted network: We only recommend experienced Illinois attorneys who who have an incredible track record of success in these types of cases.
If you want someone who actually understands how malpractice cases work in Chicago and across Illinois, an attorney referred from us can make all the difference.
Why Timing Matters in Surgical Error Claims
Illinois has strict statutes of limitations for medical malpractice. That means you only have a limited time to file a claim. In many cases, you have two years from the date you knew or should have known about the error.
If you wait too long, you could lose your chance to recover compensation. That’s why it’s so important to contact a surgical error attorney as soon as you suspect something went wrong.
What to Do if You Suspect a Surgical Error
If you think you’ve been the victim of malpractice, here are some steps to take right away:
- Get medical care: Make sure your health is protected first.
- Document everything: Keep track of symptoms, complications, and how your life has been affected.
- Contact an attorney: Get legal guidance before dealing with the hospital or insurer on your own.
How Our Illinois Lawyers’ Attorney Referral Service Works
Our Illinois lawyer referral service is simple: we connect you with the right lawyer for your exact situation. Surgical malpractice cases are highly technical, and not every attorney knows how to win them. That’s where we come in to help you find an expert.
Here’s what we do differently:
- Personalized matches: We don’t just send you to the first law firm that answers the phone. We carefully refer you to attorneys with proven success.
- Free, no-pressure guidance: You can call us anytime, explain your situation, and we’ll give you the same advice we’d give a family member.
- Trusted attorneys: Every referral comes from our statewide network of Illinois malpractice lawyers who have earned our trust through results.
- Focus on your peace of mind: Let your attorney handle the claim, while you focus on recovery.
For more than 2 decades, we’ve helped thousands of Illinois families get connected with the help they needed after a surgical mistake. When you call us, you’ll talk to a real Illinois lawyer — not a call center.
Contact Illinois Lawyers Today
Facing the aftermath of a surgical mistake is overwhelming—physically, emotionally, and financially. But you don’t have to go through it alone. The right surgical errors attorney can guide you through the process, hold hospitals accountable, and help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Call Illinois Lawyers today at (312) 346-5320 or (800) 517-1614 for a confidential consultation. No appointment needed—just call!
FAQs
What is surgical malpractice?
Surgical malpractice is a form of medical malpractice occurring when a medical professional’s negligence, such as failing to meet the standard of care during or after a procedure, causes a patient a serious, provable injury.
This negligence can manifest as operating on the wrong patient or body part, leaving instruments inside the patient, damaging organs or nerves, causing anesthesia errors, or failing to provide proper post-operative care.
To prove a case, a plaintiff must demonstrate that the surgeon’s actions fell below the accepted standard of care, and this breach directly resulted in the serious injury.
What is the difference between a surgical error and a bad outcome?
Not every complication is malpractice. Surgical errors are preventable mistakes, while bad outcomes can happen even with proper care. If the harm could have been avoided by following standard procedures, it’s usually considered a surgical error.
Who can be held responsible for a surgical error?
Surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, surgical techs, or even the hospital itself may be held liable. Liability often depends on who made the mistake and whether safety protocols were ignored.