Hysterectomy is the second most common surgical procedure performed on women. In the United States doctors perform approximately six hundred thousand hysterectomies a year. The procedure involves surgically removing a woman’s uterus to treat a large number of uterine conditions. There are various types of hysterectomies but all of them involve removal of the uterus. A supracervical hysterectomy leaves the cervix intact to preserve sexual function post surgery. The common total hysterectomy removes the uterus and the cervix leaving only a vagina. Many gynecological conditions indicate a hysterectomy condition such as uterine fibroids and heavy menstrual bleeding due to cancer, ovarian cancer and severe endometriosis.
Unfortunately many women suffer severe consequences as a result of hysterectomies. Many women find that the results of the procedure interfere with their sex life, have caused serious problems with the abdominal wall, femoral nerve damage, ureter damage, bladder injury, loss of sense of femininity and a happy sex life, libido, weight gain and profound fatigue. And what’s worse, there are many alternatives to the hysterectomy procedures that doctors never advise patients about prior to considering the radical hysterectomy procedure. Many women are falsely led to believe by their doctor that surgery is their only option when in truth there are many other options.
Damages for Unnecessary Surgical Procedures
Damages in a medical malpractice action against a surgeon found to have negligently or recklessly removed a healthy uterus and related situations can include some or all of the following categories of damages. The exact monetary recovery amount recoverable in hysterectomy lawsuits would be different in each specific case.
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
- Lost wages
- Lost future wages
- Loss of consortium with husband and children
- Cost of medical care and treatment
- Cost of rehabilitation treatment
- Cost of psychological/psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation
- Cost of future medical and surgical treatments to correct hysterectomy related damage
- Funeral expenses where there is a wrongful death arising from a hysterectomy
A physician can be held liable for a “breach of his duty of care” to a women injured by a needless hysterectomy for millions of dollars in a medical malpractice action. Damages resulting from a needless hysterectomy can be extremely extensive and life altering and hysterectomy lawsuit liability amounts tend to reflect that level of profound damages in dollar amounts awarded to injured plaintiffs.
Getting Legal Help
If you or a member of your family has suffered a needless hysterectomy procedure it may be helpful to discuss the circumstance of the injury with a medical malpractice lawyer. An attorney can provide valuable guidance on the best steps to take to preserve an injured patient’s rights and interests.
