New York Colonoscopy Malpractice

Colonoscopies are widely used as a way to early diagnose colon cancer. Because colon cancer is one of the leading causes of the cancer deaths, colonoscopies have saved countless lives of New Yorkers. During a colonoscopy the doctor inserts a long, tubular instrument in the rectum and advances it slowly through the colon. A tiny camera at the tip of the instrument allows the doctor to view the inside of the entire colon. However, failure to perform a colonoscopy with care can lead to serious complications such as bowel perforation or infection. As a result you may need emergency surgery and other treatment. This can lead to an extended recovery person, significant medical bills, and missed work. If you suffered a serious injury related to your colonoscopy that you believe was caused by medical negligence, contact an experienced New York colonoscopy malpractice lawyer who will stand by your side and work tireless to ensure that your legal rights are protected.

While colonoscopies are widely used to detect early colon cancer, and therefore save countless lives each year, colonoscopy-related errors made by medical professionals have also caused many victims to suffer serious injuries. Common colonoscopy errors include:

• Inadequate bowel preparation
• Poor visualization
• Over dilation
• Dirty colonoscopy scopes
• Poorly maintained equipment
• Inadequate tissue sample
• Failure to detect and treat complications such as bowel perforations
• Failure to recommend colonoscopy
• Failure to inform patient of risks

Even though colonoscopies have become common and routine, they require skill and care. Failure to do so may result in medical mistakes that lead to serious injuries such as bowel perforation. A bowel perforation is a hole in the bowel that can be caused by the instrument used during a colonoscopy. This can lead to pain and infection. Surgery is typically needed to repair the hole. As a New York colonoscopy malpractice lawyer will explain, a medical malpractice claim could be based on negligently performing the colonoscopy resulting in a perforated bowel, or failure to properly treat the perforation, leading to infection. While infections may result from a perforated bowel, an infection can also be caused by instruments that were not properly sterilized, or failure to take other precautions to avoid the spread of infection. Another complication associated with colonoscopies is hemorrhaging. While minor bleeding is common, significant bleeding is not. It is imperative that the doctor take immediate steps to stop the bleeding.

In addition, a colonoscopy can aggravated pre-existing conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease.

Things do not always go as planned during medical procedures. When something goes wrong, or when complications occur, it is not necessarily medical malpractice. Doctors cannot be held legally liable for simply because complications developed during a colonoscopy. Medical malpractice occurs when as a result of the doctor failing to provide the patient with a standard of care that a competent doctor would provide under similar circumstances, the patient is harmed. Because the medical facility where you were treated is not likely to provide you with answers, and because medical records are complicated, the best way to determine if medical malpractice was the cause of your colonoscopy injury is to discuss your case with an experienced colonoscopy malpractice attorney in New York.

If it is determined that your doctor’s negligence led to your injuries, then you may receive compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other related economic and non-economic losses.

If you suffered a colonoscopy-related complication such as a bowel perforation, and you believe it was caused by a medical mistake, you deserve to know what happened. A thorough review of your medical records by an expert may reveal answers. If your injuries were caused by medical errors, you may be eligible to receive significant compensation that will help you pay for your medical expenses, compensate you for your lost wages, and other losses. The colonoscopy attorneys serving clients in New York at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates have years of experience successfully representing victims injured by negligent doctors, surgeons, and other medical professionals. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.