Medical Malpractice Lawyers Minnesota + Wisconsin

Lommen Abdo’s medical malpractice and personal injury attorneys understand the impact an unexpected injury or death from medical malpractice has on individuals and families. Our attorneys know how important it is to combine this understanding with their advocacy abilities while striving to successfully resolve personal injury and medical malpractice claims for our clients. The firm has both a solid track record of successful outcomes and countless satisfied clients. The laws vary from state to state so it is important to obtain qualified legal advice as soon as possible.  We only receive a fee for our legal services if our client receives money from the parties responsible for the injury or death. 

Lommen Abdo’s medical malpractice attorneys are licensed to practice in both Minnesota and Wisconsin and, in partnership with other medical malpractice attorneys, handle medical cases in other states as well. If you believe you or a loved one has a medical malpractice claim, you should act quickly to meet your state’s time deadlines. Missing a deadline may prevent you from bringing a medical malpractice case. 

Minnesota and Wisconsin Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Doctors, nurses and other health care providers usually provide caring, professional service with a high standard of excellence for their patients. However, on occasion, things can go wrong. If you, your child or other loved one has been injured or if a loved one has died as a result of a medical mistake, you may be entitled to financial compensation.  Health care providers are usually insured and must pay compensation if a medical malpractice claim is proven against them.

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A doctor’s negligence is probably the most common factor in most medical malpractice cases. When a doctor or hospital deviates from what’s known as the standard of acceptable medical care and acts negligently, the resulting injuries could be the basis for a medical malpractice claim if it is also shown that the actions or failure to act on the part of the medical provider was the cause of harm.

Areas of focus: 

  • Failure to diagnose an illness 
  • Failure to prevent surgical infection 
  • Leaving a medical utensil implanted after surgery 
  • Surgery without informed consent 
  • Certain birth injuries and cerebral palsy 
  • Failure to diagnose breast cancer 
  • Misdiagnosis 
  • Improper prescription drugs 
  • Anesthesia errors and mistakes 
  • Blood transfusion contamination injuries 

    Medical Malpractice Services in MN and WI

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    Birth Injuries

    Cerebral Palsy

    Learning the cause of a baby’s cerebral palsy (CP) 

    Cerebral palsy is a life–long condition caused by brain damage in just a few moments during the birth of a baby. Those few moments may be the result of an unexpected complication or they could have been predicted with proper diagnosis hours or even months earlier during pregnancy. 

    Babies with cerebral palsy can often, with proper treatment, live near–normal lives. If the cause of the cerebral palsy was caused by medical malpractice, parents need to know, and the child needs the financial security that justice can bring. 

    • Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage resulting from decreased blood or oxygen flow to the placenta. 
    • Other factors may include a failure to diagnose conditions of the mother such as pre–eclampsia, fetal distress, gestational diabetes, head trauma or low blood sugar (neonatal hypoglycemia). 
    • There are three types of CP — athetoid, ataxic and spastic. All three are treatable, but incurable. 

    If an obstetrician ignores or fails to respond to fetal distress or signs that could lead to distress, that doctor, the delivery room staff and the hospital need to be held accountable. 

    Symptoms of cerebral palsy can include all or some of the following: limited movement, spastic paralysis, abnormal crawling, abnormal sense of touch or pain, joint contractures, speech difficulties, swallowing difficulties, arm paralysis, mental retardation, motor development delays, seizures and involuntary movements. 

    Erb’s Palsy

    Determining the cause of an Erb’s palsy birth injury 

    When an infant is trapped in the mother’s cervix, quick, decisive action is essential. Anything less could endanger the flow of oxygen to the baby’s brain. However, when the obstetrician’s actions are too extreme or forceful, there may be an injury to the baby’s shoulder nerves. 

    Erb’s palsy is not cerebral palsy. CP is a result of brain damage. Erb’s palsy — also known as shoulder dystocia — is a result of damage to the nerve surrounding the shoulder. It affects movement in the shoulder, arm and hand. Often the condition repairs itself in a few months, but when it does not, paralysis can be permanent. 

    • Erb’s palsy is preventable when the obstetrician properly diagnoses the situation during pregnancy or labor and takes appropriate steps for a safe delivery. 
    • Excessive force from vacuums or forceps used in a desperate situation can cause Erb’s palsy. 
    • Symptoms of Erb’s palsy include loss of muscle control, arm paralysis, facial paralysis on the affected side, finger and hand paralysis, inability to sit upright without assistance and limited movement ability. 

    Treatment of Erb’s palsy can be lengthy and expensive. The parents and child have a right to seek justice and the financial security required for the best possible outcome. 

    Brachial Plexus

    Seeking justice for brachial plexus birth injury 

    When a doctor uses forceps and unusual force to extract a baby, there is a chance of a birth injury called brachial plexus. The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that sends signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm and hand. Seriousness of the birth injury varies, depending on whether the nerve is damaged (neuropraxia), torn (rupture) or torn from the spine (avulsion). 

    It is important to establish the existence and cause of brachial plexus so that medical treatment (both neurosurgery and physical therapy) can begin. At Lommen Abdo, our birth injury lawyers work with physicians nationwide to determine the cause of a brachial plexus injury. 

    • Surgery is used to repair damaged nerves that did not heal themselves and more surgery is used later, when the child is older, to make any additional repairs. 
    • Physical therapy that includes parental involvement helps strengthen enervated muscles and helps the child cope with everyday challenges. 
    • Erb–Duchene (Erb’s) palsy refers to paralysis of the upper brachial plexus. Dejerine–Klumke (Klumke’s) palsy refers to paralysis of the lower brachial plexus. 
    • In many cases, the chance of injury should have been diagnosed during pregnancy and steps should have been taken to avoid injury. 

    Surgical Errors

    LASIK Eye Surgery 

    LASIK eye surgery is known as a simple and painless treatment to correct common vision problems. In most cases, the outcome is just what the patient expected. But when the ophthalmologist makes a mistake, the results can be devastating. (LASIK is an acronym for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis.) 

    The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) estimates that about 5 percent of LASIK patients suffer medical complications of one form or another. More than 7.6 million Americans have had LASIK eye surgery, and most patients are happy with the results. But when an eye surgeon operates on a patient who is not a good candidate for the surgery or when the doctor makes a mistake while performing the surgery, the patient needs answers and justice, including financial compensation. 

    Adverse reactions of the LASIK vision correction procedure include: 

    • Loss of vision 
    • Development of debilitating visual symptoms that result in glares, double vision, halos and night-driving problems 
    • Severe dry eye syndrome, a condition in which the eye does not produce an adequate amount of tears to keep the eye moist 

    Blood Transfusions 

    A blood transfusion can save a life but, like any medical procedure, a blood transfusion must be done only when medically necessary and by trained medical professionals who take great care to safeguard against mistakes. 

    A blood transfusion mistake can cause severe injury or even death. If that happens, the victim and the family deserve honest answers. At the Lommen Abdo Law Firm, our medical malpractice lawyers have the experience, determination and compassion to find the answers and obtain justice and financial compensation. 

    The errors and effects of blood transfusion mistakes include: 

    • Using the wrong blood type 
    • Using contaminated blood products 
    • Using non–sterile equipment 
    • Unnecessary transfusions 
    • Seizures, serious illness, death 

    As soon as you suspect a blood transfusion mistake, talk to a lawyer who knows how to evaluate the circumstances and obtain the evidence. 

    Surgical Utensils 

    Millions of operations are performed flawlessly in the United States every year, but some operations are not. When mistakes are made — like leaving tools in a patient’s body — you deserve to know what happened. And you deserve compensation. 

    In many such cases, it is necessary to re–operate on a patient already weakened by surgery. Preventing such errors is a matter of counting — knowing what tools were brought into the operating room and counting to make sure all those tools are removed. When counting procedures are bypassed, if the negligence causes serious injury or death, the surgeon and hospital should be held accountable. 

    Tools left in a patient have included: 

    • Scalpels 
    • Forceps 
    • Needles, needle holders 
    • Sponges 
    • Blades 
    • Towel and tubing clamps 
    • Retractors 
    • Surgical scissors 
    • Metal safety pins 
    • Other instruments and utensils 

    Infections & Sepsis 

    People go to a hospital and undergo surgery to get well. There are times, however, when surgeons and hospital personnel introduce dangerous infections into patients. The cause is usually a failure to follow procedures designed to prevent infections. 

    Infections such as sepsis can make patients extremely ill, increase their hospital stays (usually in an ICU — intensive care unit), cause permanent damage, and, in some cases, cause death. 

    Recommendations that can prevent sepsis and other potentially fatal infections include: 

    • Patients should be properly prepared for surgery, including minimal hospital stays pre–surgery, identification and treatment of any infections, and thorough cleaning and preparation of the operation site. 
    • The surgeon and all operating room staff should scrub thoroughly, use sterile towels, wear sterile gown and gloves, and report any infections. 
    • The operating room should be properly ventilated and filtered, with the doors closed, and with limited personnel entering and leaving. 

    Infections are a serious, life–threatening concern and should be treated as such throughout the hospital and in the operating room. If you or a loved one has contracted sepsis or another infection in a hospital, ask a medical malpractice attorney to investigate and find out how it happened. 

    Organ Damage 

    The long–term effects of organ damage can be painful, life–long, devastating physically and emotionally, and potentially fatal. If you suspect a surgeon damaged an organ during an operation, you need to talk to an attorney who knows how to investigate surgical mistakes. 

    At Lommen Abdo, our medical malpractice lawyers consult with experienced physicians nationwide to determine what happened, whether it was malpractice, and how justice can be done. People who have suffered organ damage deserve to know what happened — and, if it is the result of a mistake or negligence, they deserve compensation to help them deal with the many devastating consequences of organ damage. 

    • Surgery is a major cause of organ damage because surgery opens the opportunity for nearby organs to be at risk when the surgeon is inexperienced or careless. 
    • An incorrect incision by the surgeon, pre–surgery or post–surgery infection, or incorrect prescriptions (the wrong medicine or dosage) can cause organ damage. 
    • Organ damage can also be caused by injury, alcoholism, high alcohol intake, smoking and disease. A failure to diagnose and properly treat can make the damage worse. 

    A surgical mistake lawyer at Lommen Abdo can help you determine if organ damage was caused by a doctor’s error. 

    Spine/Spinal Cord Injury 

    When a surgeon operates on the spine or on any part of the body that is close to the spine, special care must be taken to prevent any injury to the spine. The spine carries signals to the rest of the body. A disruption of that function can mean a loss of mobility and a lifetime of paralysis. 

    There are many ways the spine can be damaged. Some are malpractice related, but most are not. To get an honest, straightforward evaluation of what happened, talk to a lawyer who has the experience and knowledge to consult medical specialists and find the answers you need. 

    Among the causes of spine injuries are: 

    • A surgical mistake 
    • Improper handling of a patient 
    • A misdiagnosed or undiagnosed stroke 
    • Failure to properly treat a spinal cord injury or back injury 
    • Transportation accidents (car, bus, train, bicycle, ATV, motorcycle) 
    • Work accidents 
    • Birth trauma 

    Gastric Bypass 

    Gastric bypass surgery and lap–band surgery offer hope to morbidly obese people. Most people make it through the surgery safely, some suffer painful complications, and a small percentage of patients never make it out of the hospital. 

    Gastric bypass and lap–band procedures usually result in weight loss and a healthier life for patients. If the surgeon makes a mistake, however, you may need additional surgery (undoing the bypass surgery) and treatment. 

    • Was the surgeon experienced in this procedure? Or was there adequate supervision? 
    • Were you given proper instructions for the recovery period? 
    • Did the surgery cause an infection? 

    Gastric bypass and lap–band surgeries are usually successful, but when problems occur, you should get immediate medical help. If you feel medical negligence or malpractice was involved, talk to an attorney experienced in finding answers in complex medical situations. At Lommen Abdo, our medical malpractice lawyers have the experience necessary to find the answers you need. 

    Surgical Site Error 

    When a surgeon operates on the wrong part of the body, it’s called wrong–site surgery (WSS). While it seems like something like that should never happen, unfortunately it does. If you have been the victim of wrong-site surgery, talk to a Minneapolis surgical mistake attorney. 

    There are widely varying estimates of how often wrong–site surgery occurs. It is relatively rare, but when it happens, it is devastating to the patient. Not only has the wrong location been operated on, but the patient still needs surgery on the right location. 

    Any wrong–site surgical error is medical malpractice. When the right knee is operated on instead of the left, when a left breast is removed instead of the right, when a functioning eye is removed leaving only a blind eye, or when the wrong foot is amputated, the fault lies with medical professionals and systems that have failed. 

    Hospitals and surgeons have put standards in place to prevent wrong–site surgery, but it still happens. Why? 

    • A surgeon is under the influence of alcohol or drugs 
    • Multiple procedures are being performed on the same patient by different doctors 
    • The doctor or staff failed to mark the proper site 
    • Patient names or charts are mixed up 
    • Multiple surgical procedure checks are either non–existent or not followed 
    • Lack of communication between health professionals 

    Whatever the cause, surgical location errors are medical negligence. The patient deserves answers, justice and financial compensation. 

    Medication Errors

    Anesthesia Errors 

    Some of the worst injuries that can occur during surgery involve anesthesia mistakes. The wrong anesthesia for a particular patient, the wrong dosage, failure to react to distress, or poor communications among those in the operating room can all lead to serious injury and, in the worst cases, death. 

    Whether an anesthesiologist or technician makes a mistake that causes injury or the mistake was caused by faulty equipment, the result is medical malpractice. In a study of anesthesia mistakes, the overwhelming majority involved human error, not equipment failure, but both are the result of medical negligence. 

    • Anesthesia mistakes are often the result of miscommunication in the operating room — ranging from personality conflicts to poor patient records. 
    • The technicians involved may not have the proper training. 
    • Patient charts are not carefully read, leading to side effects such as allergic reactions that should have been predictable. 

    If you or a loved one has been injured by an anesthesia error, you deserve to know what happened and you should be compensated. Talk to a medical malpractice lawyer who has the experience and knowledge to do a thorough investigation of the circumstances. 

    Prescription Medication 

    Every doctor and pharmacist knows that prescription errors can cause serious injuries and death. Yet mistakes happen. A Centers for Disease Control study reports that ADEs (adverse drug events) lead to 700,000 emergency room visits a year and 120,000 hospitalizations. 

    If you have had a serious adverse reaction to a drug because of a prescription mistake, talk to a lawyer who has the knowledge and resources to investigate what happened, and the determination to seek justice and financial compensation when appropriate. 

    Prescription errors happen for many reasons: 

    • You’re prescribed a medication that reacts badly with another prescription medication you’re taking. 
    • You’re prescribed a medication that you’re allergic to or have had problems with in the past. 
    • You’re prescribed an improper dosage of a medication. 
    • You’re prescribed a medication that was supposed to be given to someone else. 
    • You’re prescribed the correct medication and the pharmacy gives you a different one. 
    • You’re given the correct medication with improper dosage information printed on the bottle. 

    Misdiagnosis

    Heart Attack 

    Doctors are trained to diagnose diseases — and we trust them to know what they are doing. In too many cases, however, a person who comes to a doctor’s office or emergency room complaining of heart attack or stroke symptoms receives a wrong diagnosis. 

    The same symptoms might be diagnosed as indigestion, pneumonia or other diseases. Precious time is lost as the patient is given inappropriate treatment and sent home. 

    • Failure to diagnose a stroke can cause death or lifelong paralysis and disability. 
    • Failure to diagnose a heart attack can cause death or severe heart damage and lifelong weakness. 

    Proper diagnosis and prompt treatment can mean the difference between life and death. Proper diagnosis and treatment can often mean the patient has an opportunity to return to a healthy lifestyle. 

    Cancer 

    A cancer misdiagnosis has a great impact on the patient and the entire family. When a medical professional fails to diagnose cancer in a timely and appropriate manner, your entire family can suffer unnecessarily as you deal with an illness that should have received earlier treatment or as the family deals with a death that might have been prevented. 

    A Minnesota lawyer experienced with misdiagnosis cases can investigate the circumstances, explain your legal options, and help you decide what actions to take to hold the medical professionals involved responsible for their negligence. 

    When a doctor fails to diagnose cancer, possible outcomes can include: 

    • Missed timing for treatments 
    • Prolonged treatment times 
    • Grievous advancement of the cancer 
    • Total disablement due to untreated cancer 
    • Death due to untreated cancer 

    It is important to hold medical professionals accountable for their actions when a misdiagnosis causes grievous harm. Their failure to diagnose cancer can result in loss of the enjoyment of life, loss of income and loss of life itself. 

    Breast Cancer 

    Breast cancer, when diagnosed early and treated in a proper and timely manner, is more likely to have a positive outcome. That is why failure to diagnose breast cancer is so serious. The doctor’s failure can result in a far more serious medical situation with far greater consequences — up to and including death. 

    Campaigns promoting mammograms and self–examination have made women more aware of the symptoms of breast cancer, but if a doctor misreads a mammogram or if a biopsy is not evaluated properly, necessary treatment can be delayed. 

    A delay in breast cancer treatment can mean: 

    • More invasive surgery with long recovery 
    • A growth of cancer beyond the breast 
    • More aggressive and debilitating chemotherapy and drug therapy 
    • Premature death 

    In addition to misdiagnosis, another issue with breast cancer is inappropriate treatment. If you have reason to suspect your breast cancer should have been diagnosed sooner, that non–standard treatment was used, or that medication made the problem worse, talk to a medical malpractice attorney. 

    Lab Mistakes 

    When a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, lab technician, radiologist or other hospital or clinic staff personnel makes a mistake, that mistake can have serious consequences. Clinic and hospital lab errors can mean being treated for the wrong condition or not treated for an existing condition. Lab mistakes can involve a variety of things, for example: 

    • Mistakes in testing can lead to incorrect results 
    • A mistake is made in recording results 
    • Your test results can be mixed up with someone else’s 
    • An improper reading of an X-ray or MRI can miss or exaggerate findings 

    A medical lab mistake can mean the wrong treatment, no treatment when needed, misdiagnosis, the wrong medication being prescribed, a real problem being ignored. Your medical records belong to you – including lab reports. If you or a loved one has been injured and you suspect a lab mistake, ask an experienced attorney to review the records. 

    At Lommen Abdo, our lawyers are familiar with medical records, and we work with of practicing physicians to evaluate those records. 

    Radiology Mistakes 

    And X–ray, MRI or CT scan can be invaluable in diagnosing a medical condition — or in ruling out suspected conditions. When a radiologist misreads or misinterprets the test results, a patient can be mistakenly subjected to unnecessary treatment, the wrong treatment or no treatment. 

    • When a cancer is missed, for example, the cancer is given more time to grow — and possibly grow beyond any hope of control or cure. 
    • A radiological error that causes a misdiagnosis can mean the patient is treated for a disease he or she does not have. 
    • If the radiology lab mixes up tests or misidentifies tests, one patient could be treated for another patient’s disease. 

    Radiology offers excellent opportunities to explore what is happening inside a patient. But when the results are misread, mislabeled or misinterpreted, the result can be serious harm, up to and including an unnecessary death. The victim deserves justice and financial compensation. 

    Neurology 

    Neurology malpractice can occur in medical situations involving neurological disorders like epilepsy as well as cancer, so errors when it comes to neurological diseases of this magnitude are serious and can cause prolonged pain, mental anguish and even death. 

    If you or a family member has been seriously harmed because of misdiagnosis or a doctor’s failure to diagnose, you deserve answers, justice and financial compensation. You also need answers and compensation if a neurological disorder or disease was diagnosed correctly but improperly treated by doctors, nurses or hospital staff. 

    Common causes of neurology negligence include: 

    • A doctor missing important symptoms that are indicators of neurological disease or cancer 
    • A doctor diagnosing a less serious disease that shares some of the more common symptoms 
    • A doctor overlooking serious symptoms to focus on other symptoms first 
    • A doctor failing to listen to the patient or fully read and examine lab reports 

    A failure to diagnose or a misdiagnosis can mean the patient does not receive appropriate medications or other treatments. That negligence can cause side effects, long–term damage and death. 

    Psychiatric 

    Often people who undergo psychiatric care are in a very vulnerable state of mind. It is this vulnerability that exposes them to misdiagnosis and malpractice from their therapists. Practitioners are highly trained and, in most cases, properly diagnose and treat patients. When they do not, the results can be devastating to the patient and the patient’s family. 

    It is the obligation of a psychiatrist to be aware of warning signs and protect their patients’ well–being. Misdiagnosis and mistreatment can lead to anxiety disorders, depression, increased risk of suicide or sexual dysfunction. 

    Some types of psychiatric malpractice are: 

    • Failure to diagnose a patient 
    • Physical or mental abuse 
    • Sexual misconduct with a patient 
    • False imprisonment 
    • Developing an unethical relationship with a patient 
    • Breach of patient confidentiality 
    • Prescribing the wrong medication or wrong dosage 
    • Illegal and unorthodox therapeutic technique 

    If a loved one has committed suicide while under a therapist’s care or if you are aware of non–standard treatment, an attorney can help you determine if the doctor is liable. 

    Compartment Syndrome 

    Initially, compartment syndrome can be difficult to diagnose, because there are many other possibilities for pain. Failure to diagnose compartment syndrome, or an extremely delayed diagnosis, can lead to permanent foot drop, loss of limb or even death. A doctor needs to act in a timely manner to rule out other causes of pain and then test for compartment syndrome. 

    Among the symptoms of compartment syndrome are: 

    • Swelling and pressure in an enclosed area of the leg or arm becomes great. 
    • Swelling is usually caused by an injury that impedes the flow of blood. 
    • The pressure causes capillaries to collapse, cutting off the blood supply. 
    • The pain is more severe than that of a fracture or sprain. 
    • The severe pain gets worse over time. 
    • There is sometimes a tingling or burning sensation. 

    Compartment syndrome pressure can be measured and surgery can resolve the problem — unless treatment is delayed and causes muscle and nerve damage. A medical malpractice lawyer with knowledge of compartment syndrome can evaluate the medical records with the help of medical experts and determine if there was a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. 

    Deep Vein Thrombosis 

    DVT or deep vein thrombosis can be caused by surgery, an accident (broken bone or another trauma) or from some medications (such as birth control pills). DVT occurs when blood thickens and clumps together in a clot deep within a vein. The clot can then travel through the bloodstream. If it reaches an artery in the lungs, it can block the flow of blood. This blockage is called a pulmonary embolism. 

    An undiagnosed and untreated blood clot is extremely dangerous. It can damage the lungs and other organs and cause death. Methods of DVT diagnosis include: 

    • Compression ultrasonography, using sound waves to take pictures of a patient’s leg 
    • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to produce accurate imaging results (not suitable in all cases) 
    • Ventilation/perfusion lung scanning, done with radioactive particles that are inhaled and then examined 
    • Pulmonary angiography, an insertion done with a catheter to inject dye 
    • Spiral computed tomography, a CT scan with a dye injection and computer analysis (not suitable for all patients) 

    Your doctor is responsible for knowing the circumstances that cause DVT and for taking precautions to ensure you are not in danger. If you are in danger, your doctor should take quick action. If you have DVT following surgery or treatment for an accident or after taking a prescribed medication, and if your doctor failed to take precautions or perform tests, you deserve answers and justice if you suffered serious injury. Talk to a lawyer experienced with DVT cases. 

    Malpractice Injuries

    Brain Injury 

    Brain injuries can happen in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, falls, workplace accidents or recreational accidents. Most people are aware of that. But when a brain injury happens in a hospital or clinic where a patient should feel safe, the doctors, nurses and other clinic and hospital personnel who caused a brain injury by their actions or inactions should be held accountable. 

    The results of a brain injury can include: 

    • Loss of cognitive ability 
    • Loss of mobility 
    • Loss of sight or other senses 
    • Recurring, debilitating headaches 
    • Loss of independence 
    • Seizures 
    • Partial or total paralysis 
    • Death 

    Brain injuries in hospitals and clinics are caused by lack of oxygen to the brain (particularly in birth injuries and anesthesia mistakes), falls during patient transfers, surgical errors and other mistakes. Lack of attention to protocols and delayed response to patient distress are often at fault. 

    Nerve Injuries 

    Depending on the extent of the damage, the effects of nerve damage can last a short while or for the lifetime of the victim. When that damage is caused by medical personnel, the patient needs to know what happened, and they need financial compensation to deal with the consequences of a debilitating injury caused by a mistake. A medical malpractice attorney can explain your legal options. 

    Causes of nerve damage from medical error and compression injury include: 

    • A surgical error causing damaged or severed nerves 
    • A birth injury (such as brachial plexus or Erb’s palsy) 
    • Nerve injury during bone marrow collection 
    • An esophageal injury suffered after surgery 
    • Any injury suffered while under medical care 

    The lifelong results of nerve damage can include chronic pain or paresthesia — a constant feeling of tingling, prickling or numbness. There may be loss of limb function and inability to use hands and fingers. The facial area can be affected, leaving a person unable to move all or part of the face, unable to speak, and sometimes unable to swallow. Nerve damage in the neck or spine can also cause paralysis or a condition called cauda equina syndrome, which results in incontinence, lack of feeling and weakness of muscles below the waist, and loss of rectal function and sexual function. 

    Nerve damage injuries often require a lifetime of medical care and often around–the–clock care. Justice requires that those responsible for such injuries be held financially accountable. 

    Paralysis 

    If you have been paralyzed by medical malpractice, a Minneapolis medical malpractice attorney can help you understand your legal rights and pursue compensation for you. Paralysis is a devastating condition, and with no cure yet available for paralysis, the effects are lifelong. 

    Among the medical causes of paralysis are: 

    • surgical mistake by a neurologist during spinal surgery 
    • An undiagnosed or misdiagnosed stroke 
    • Failure to treat a spinal cord injury through misdiagnosis or diagnosis with incorrect treatment 
    • A fall or incorrect movement of a patient 
    • birth injury 

    Some forms of paralysis — particularly paraplegia or quadriplegia — require medical treatment and intervention for the rest of the paralyzed person’s life, especially if the paralysis interferes with a person’s ability to eat, swallow, breathe, or involves the loss of sensation that causes incontinence or inability to control the sphincter muscles. Loss of sexual function can also result. All these possibilities can add up to years of financial burden and cause great emotional and mental stress, as well. 

    Orthopedic Injuries 

    In most cases, orthopedic surgery offers relief from painful problems. Advances have meant less invasive surgery and faster recovery. But if the surgeon makes a mistake, the patient can suffer irreparable injury or even wrongful death. If that has happened to you or a loved one, discuss your legal option with a Minneapolis medical malpractice lawyer. 

    Surgical complications from orthopedic surgery can include: 

    • Loss of a limb from wrong–site surgery 
    • A knee replacement improperly done 
    • A hip replacement that needs to be redone because of defective replacement parts or improper techniques 
    • Nerve damage or muscle damage from erroneous cuts 
    • An infection, such as sepsis, introduced in the surgical process 
    • Improper administration of anesthesia 

    No surgery is without risk, but malpractice introduces unnecessary risk that can cause a patient lifelong disability and pain. 

    Sexual Misconduct 

    Physician sexual misconduct exploits patients and undermines their trust in the medical profession. Sexual misconduct between a doctor and patient includes sex, seductive talk, inappropriate touching and flirting. These sexual violations clearly weaken a patient’s trust and violate the responsibilities of physicians to patients. 

    The Minnesota Board of Medical Practice reported that two percent of all physician complaints involved some type of sexual activity with a patient. Other surveys have shown that nine percent of doctors admit having sexual contact with patients in the past, and 23 percent of patients report past sexual contact with physicians. Health services professions agree that sexual misconduct between doctors and their patients is dangerous and shouldn’t be tolerated. 

    Sexual misconduct by a doctor, nurse or other caregiver can include: 

    • Criticism of a patient’s sexual orientation 
    • Sexualized comments 
    • Improper remarks about a patient’s body 
    • Requesting details of sexual history when inappropriate 
    • Inappropriate examination of a patient 
    • Inappropriate body contact 

    Medical professionals who cross the line with any patient not only damage or risk their professional reputations, but they also jeopardize their patients’ health, physically and mentally. Whether you are male or female, whether the doctor is male or female, sexual misconduct is against all professional ethics and standards. 

    Wrongful Death 

    If someone in your family died because of medical malpractice, you have the right to find out what happened. You also have the right to seek justice and financial compensation for your loss. 

    At Lommen Abdo, our wrongful death attorneys have the resources and knowledge to investigate complex medical malpractice cases, determine what happened, and advise you about your options and what actions we recommend. 

    The main question in a wrongful death lawsuit is: Did the doctor, hospital, emergency room, hospital staff, nurse, clinic or nursing home staff meet the accepted standards of care? Do you suspect neglect, mistreatment, malpractice or negligence? Our law firm consults with practicing physicians nationwide who work with us to examine medical records and determine the truth. 

    Financial compensation depends on your relationship to the deceased and your losses. Examples include: 

    • Parents who lose an adult child can claim loss of companionship and mental anguish. 
    • Compensation for the death of a minor child may include potential financial contributions from the child, loss of companionship and mental anguish. 
    • A spouse can claim loss of companionship, potential financial contributions and mental anguish. 
    • Minor children can claim money the deceased would have contributed to raising the children, as well as compensation for mental anguish and loss of parental guidance. 
    • Adult children, in addition to compensation for mental anguish, can claim the sum the deceased parent would reasonably and probably have contributed to them. 

    Hospital Negligence 

    When you enter a hospital, you expect a clean, efficient, caring place where sick people can get the care they need. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. Hospitals make mistakes, and those mistakes, when they rise to the level of malpractice or negligence, put patients at risk of serious injury or wrongful death. 

    The types of errors that can lead to serious patient injuries include: 

    • Failure to adequately staff the hospital with nurses, aides and other medical personnel 
    • Failure to properly train and supervise medical personnel 
    • Failure to keep equipment in good condition and properly calibrated 
    • Failure to keep patient rooms and operating rooms clean and free of infections 
    • Failure to have necessary equipment available as needed 
    • Failure to monitor medicine dispensaries and pharmacies for errors and misuse 
    • Failure to keep accurate medical records for each patient 

    When a hospital allows mistreatment of patients because of poor supervision or training, when in-hospital pharmacies have no checks in place to assure proper dispensing and dosages of medicines, when good hygiene standards are ignored even occasionally, patients are at risk for injury and infection. 

    Our hospital negligence lawyers know how to review medical records to determine if hospital negligence caused or contributed to a serious injury or wrongful death. 

    Nursing Home 

    Is an elderly loved one the victim of nursing home neglect or malpractice? It is the responsibility of the medical staff to perform proper treatment for those under their care. Many times, relatives and friends are unaware of the circumstances their loved ones are in. 

    It is not uncommon for elderly residents to feel embarrassed or afraid to speak out about any malpractice that they have suffered. Nursing home neglect and mistreatment can lead to serious problems, including: 

    • Malnutrition 
    • Dehydration 
    • Failure to medicate — or overmedication used to control residents 
    • Untreated bedsores 
    • Unexplained bruises 
    • Falls and fractured bones 
    • Poor personal hygiene 
    • Unsanitary living conditions 
    • Abuse by staff and other residents 
    • Wandering off due to poor supervision 
    • Doctor reporting mistakes, nurse errors 

    Nursing home residents should be safely monitored and handled with special care. Whether the negligence stems from inexperienced staffing, lack of care, or improper medical training, it is important that you speak to a lawyer who understands how to protect your loved one’s rights. 

    Our experienced and knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyers can help fight for your rights, find out what is happening to your loved one, and hold the nursing home accountable for negligence. 

    Emergency Room 

    Unfortunately, errors that occur in medical settings often go unreported. But healthcare professionals should be held accountable for injuries that occur through their direct actions or negligence. Injuries and serious side effects can occur when a trained health care professional makes a mistake in the emergency room. Do not allow a serious injury to go unreported and unaccounted for. Talk to a medical malpractice lawyer about your rights. 

    Emergency room errors can include: 

    • Administration of the wrong medication 
    • Administration of the wrong treatment 
    • Administration of the wrong medical dosage 
    • Mistreatment or neglect in the care given 
    • Injury caused by inappropriately moving the patient 
    • Misdiagnosis of injuries or illness 
    • Failure to make a diagnosis 

    Your life can be forever changed due to an emergency room error.  In just a matter of minutes, you can lose the enjoyment of your health, your life and your future livelihood.  When such an event has occurred, it is important to consult with a lawyer knowledgeable about emergency room errors as soon as possible.  An experienced attorney can help you piece together what has happened and who is responsible.  They can also advise on the damages you should pursue to compensate for your losses. 

    OBGYN Negligence 

    Have you or your newborn been injured due to any form of OBGYN malpractice? Obstetrics and gynecological malpractice are far too common and put the lives and health of the baby and mother at risk. 

    Obstetrics is a branch of medicine that pertains to the care and treatment of women during their pregnancy, the process of childbirth, after the delivery and throughout the recovery period. Many OBYGN malpractice cases involve childbirth deliveries in which the improper use of forceps and other risky delivery room instruments causes significant harm to the newborn. Sometimes the circumstances leading to a difficult birth were neglected and disregarded by the medical staff during the pregnancy. 

    Some conditions that are common in obstetrical negligence cases include: 

    • Failure to diagnose gynecological diseases 
    • Failure to detect an ectopic pregnancy 
    • Improper hysterectomy procedure 
    • Failure to diagnose placenta previa 
    • Doctor mistake that results in sexual dysfunction 
    • Prescribing the wrong medication or the wrong dosage 
    • Cerebral palsy and other birth injuries 
    • Fetal death 
    • Maternal death 

    Failure to perform typical routine treatment and examinations throughout the pregnancy can also lead to serious complications that could have a fatal result on the mother and infant. If you feel you or your newborn is a victim of OBGYN malpractice you may be entitled to compensation. Talk to an experienced OBGYN malpractice attorney. 

    Pediatric Negligence 

    Any pediatric misdiagnosis can be serious and cause lifelong illness or disability. When you become aware of a misdiagnosis that caused serious harm, discuss the situation with a pediatric error lawyer. 

    Birth injuries caused by obstetrician and pediatrician errors can have severe, lifelong effects including paralysis, brain damage, and, in some cases, wrongful death. Children are especially susceptible to medical mistakes, particularly immediately after birth. Their underdeveloped organs and systems can’t withstand some errors like inappropriate medications the way an adult might be able to, so the potential for damage due to a mistake is much higher and can have much more far-reaching effects, causing problems for the victim’s entire life. 

    Pediatric mistakes with serious consequences include: 

    • Infections contracted while in the hospital 
    • Prescriptions of improper medications or improper doses 
    • Catheter injuries 
    • IV errors 
    • Misdiagnosis, delay in diagnosis and mistreatment of meningitis, PKU (phenylketonuria), congenital hip dislocation, Down syndrome 
    • Failure to diagnose cancer 

    Commonly Asked Questions

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    What is medical malpractice?

    Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider, such as a doctor, nurse, or hospital, fails to provide a patient with the appropriate standard of care, which results in harm or injury to the patient. Medical malpractice cases can involve a wide range of issues, including misdiagnosis, surgical errors, medication errors, and birth injuries. If you believe you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice, it is important to call our office and speak with an experienced attorney who can help you understand your legal rights. 

    What steps can I take if someone I love is a victim of medical malpractice?

    If you or a loved one has been a victim of medical malpractice, we encourage you to contact our office. We can discuss the specific circumstances that lead you to believe you may have a claim. It’s important to note that in the state of Minnesota, claims of medical malpractice must be filed within four years from the date of the alleged negligent treatment, and if it involves a death, the statute of limitations is shortened to three years. 

    After our initial conversation, we may ask you to gather medical records for us to review. We may also send them to a medical expert for further evaluation. Our goal is to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve while you focus on your recovery. 

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