West Palm Beach cosmetic procedure injury lawyer

If you suffered harm due to a cosmetic procedure, you might have a medical malpractice claim. With the help of a skilled attorney, you could receive compensation for your injuries and losses.

The Florida cosmetic surgery medical malpractice attorneys at Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath will guide you through your legal options. We’ve held negligent surgeons accountable for all kinds of botched procedures:

• Breast augmentation
• Breast reduction
• Facelifts
• Liposuction
• Procedures to reduce scarring
• Rhinoplasty

If you believe a medical professional’s negligence caused your injury, call us at (561) 655-1990 today.

Common surgical error injuries

If the surgeon failed to provide you with full disclosure of risk, or if they provided you with inferior or substandard care, they may be guilty of medical malpractice, especially if you sustain an injury.

Some of the most common reasons for cosmetic surgery malpractice claims include:

• Post-operative infections
• Negligent injection of drugs
• Complications from anesthesia

This is not a complete list of possible errors and reckless mistakes. If you’re unsure whether or not your surgical error falls under malpractice, please contact our firm today.

Steps to take after experiencing surgical malpractice

1. Call the surgeon and ask what’s going on

If you are experiencing a complication, worried that the surgery went wrong, or if the outcome doesn’t look like what you and your doctor discussed, call your medical team immediately.

Some complications are to be expected, but problems can arise with even the simplest cosmetic surgeries. Your surgeon will likely be able to tell you what’s going on and may be able to fix the problem.

However, if you suspect malpractice or are uncomfortable speaking with your surgeon, you should call another doctor, as we’ll discuss in the next step.

2. Get a second opinion from another doctor

If you suspect malpractice, it’s a good idea to get a second opinion from another surgeon. You don’t have to tell your first doctor that you’re communicating with another one – your health is your business.

In the days or weeks leading up to your appointment with the other surgeon, you should maintain a journal of your symptoms and concerns. You can show these to the second doctor, who may be able to indicate whether your first surgeon lived up to the standard of care.

Remember, if they did not live up to the standard of care, and if that failure caused you harm or injury, you can hold them accountable for medical malpractice.

3. Speak with our West Palm Beach cosmetic procedure injury lawyers

We’ve listed this as the third step, but you can really contact us at any point after surgery. If you met with a second surgeon who indicated potential malpractice, or even if you didn’t meet with a second surgeon and only suspect malpractice, we can guide you on the next steps and how to proceed with a lawsuit.

To schedule your free consultation, call (561) 655-1990 or contact us online today.

Types of plastic surgery mistakes

All surgical procedures require painstaking attention and skill. Unfortunately, due to severe staffing shortages, supply chain disruptions, burnout, and occasional flat-out laziness, some surgeons take shortcuts or make reckless decisions that end up harming their patients.

Some of the more common mistakes we’ve seen in cosmetic procedures include:

• Anesthesia errors
• Poor postoperative care
• Infection
• Damaged nerves
• Surgery performed on the wrong body part or wrong side of the body
• Unnecessary surgery
• Lack of informed consent

Don’t assume you’re out of options if you suffered harm in a procedure but haven’t experienced any of the situations listed above. Reckless mistakes can occur in all kinds of ways during surgery. If you suspect malpractice, your best option is to connect with an attorney.

Malpractice cases have strict deadlines – make sure you file on time

If you have a valid case, you’re going to see the words “statute of limitations” a lot. A statute of limitations is the deadline or amount of time you have to file a lawsuit. If you don’t file in time, you lose your right to sue.

In Florida, medical malpractice cases must be filed within two years of the date when you suffered the injury. However, the same law states that you have two years from the date when the injury was discovered or should have been discovered using “due diligence.”

This means that if you don’t immediately realize you’ve been a victim of malpractice, the clock won’t begin ticking until you learn of the issue or until you reasonably should have become aware of the issue.

Even with this slight extension, Florida law sets a hard deadline of two years from the date of the incident. So, even if you didn’t discover the injury until three and a half years after it occurred, you have six months to move forward with your case.

Potential damages you can claim

“Damages” is the legal term for the losses that you suffered as a direct result of the botched surgery. Like most other medical malpractice cases, cosmetic procedure injuries usually include economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages

Economic damages are the real, calculable costs that you incurred as a result of the procedure. They include expenses like:

• Additional surgery to fix the mistake
• Medication
• Physical therapy
• Lost wages from missing work

Non-economic damages

Unlike economic damages, non-economic damages do not come with a paper trail of bills, invoices, and receipts.  Non-economic damages include:

• Mental anguish
• Scarring and disfigurement

These damages are more difficult to calculate, but a skilled West Palm Beach cosmetic procedure injury lawyer can argue for them on your behalf.

This is not a full list of the damages we may be able to secure. To get a better idea of the kinds of damages to which you may be entitled, call Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath at (561) 655-1990.

Parties who may be liable for your injury

Being held liable means being held responsible for an action or inaction that causes harm.

In the case of botched cosmetic surgery, several medical professionals may be held accountable for negligence:

• Surgeon
• Nurse
• Anesthesiologist
• Other medical professionals

Defending victims of cosmetic procedure injury

Claims involving elective cosmetic surgery can be difficult. Jurors are often hesitant to award large settlements in these cases when compared to other, non-elective medical procedures. Having an experienced attorney on your side can help override jury prejudice and get you fair compensation.

No matter the reason for the surgery, medical providers are still responsible for providing the best standard of care. Our Florida personal injury lawyers can help you receive compensation for incurred injuries and expenses.

Why work with us

The cosmetic procedure injury lawyers at our firm are some of the most experienced in West Palm Beach. We have successfully litigated medical malpractice claims for over 25 years. Our staff of nurses and access to medical experts allow us to build strong cases to defend our clients.

Don’t wait – fill out our contact form or call us at (561) 655-1990 to schedule your consultation.