Recently, a kidney intended for donation was thrown away. And while many people are talking about the two nurses who have been suspended and the surgeon who has been removed from his position, what we should be talking about are the victims of this serious hospital error.
Lives in the Balance
The accidentally discarded kidney was taken from a live donor. The intended recipient was the donor's sister. This was to be a day of exciting new possibilities—an ill sister receiving the gift of health from her brother. Instead, it was a day of bitter disappointment. At the time of this post, the sister still had not received a donated kidney and was waiting, once again, for a chance to be well.
This is a truly terrible story. Unfortunately, medical mistakes like this happen more often than we think. Every day, a medical mistake in Virginia has the potential to take a life or seriously harm a patient. Each morning, families awake without their loved one, taken by a hospital error.
The Take Away
After this egregious error, what can be done to ensure that others are not victims of a serious medical mistake? Clearly, human error has the potential not only to do harm, but to take lives.
As Virginia Beach medical malpractice attorneys, we hope that there is a silver lining to this story, and that it serves as a warning to other doctors, other nurses—that they must pay attention to what they are doing in surgery. After all, it could save a life.
If you think that you have been injured or made ill by a medical mistake, do not suffer in silence. Our Virginia Beach personal injury lawyers have the experience and the resources to take on the biggest hospitals, and win. Do not hesitate. Call 757.625.1214 today to schedule a free consultation with an attorney who has your best interests at heart.