Ankle arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure and unlike other surgical methods, the complicate rates are low. However, it has been seen in California that there’s a rising complication rate in Ankle arthroscopy which has also increased the concerns of the surgeons. This increase in complication is due to the technological developments happening in the medical industry. So if you’ve been injured in ankle arthroscopy, here’s what you should do.
Firstly, you should immediately get medical treatment to ensure that your conditions do not get worse. Also, keep all the medical bills with you because they are important documents. Your next step is going to be the most crucial one. As soon as complications are determined, you should immediately reach out to an attorney. The attorneys in turn will reach out to an orthopedic expert witness who is going to play a crucial role in malpractice claims.
Complications that you might face in ankle arthroscopy:
Though arthroscopy is a safe procedure, you can face complications due to the negligence of the surgeon. Some of the complications are as follows:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Blood clotting
- Nerve damage
- Inflammation and pain that doesn’t go away with medications.
These are some of the probable complications which you might face after surgery.
In California, there is a timeline within which you need to make the claims. This statute of limitations has been made to protect the interests of the defendants mainly. An injured patient cannot bring claims after a decade. This is because by that time there can be destruction of evidence and the defendant may not have the essential proofs to fight against the plaintiff.
Hence, if you want to get your compensation for being physically harmed, you should immediately speak to an attorney. The lawyer will appoint an orthopedic expert witness to determine if there has been a malpractice. If the expert suspects substances of malpractice, then the lawsuit will be filed by the attorney. The orthopedic expert witnesses will plays an essential role which is as follows:
- Preparing written reports based on the case facts. These reports are based on scientific and clinical facts.
- Performing Independent Medical Examination to access the medical condition of the patient.
- Offers expert advice in an impartial and credible manner
- Tries to settle the matter with the defendant’s expert witness in the initial stages.
- Makes it clear that a particular matter fall outside their scope of expertise.
- Provides expert guidance on technical matters of the case
- Deposition services
Moreover, these expert witnesses are also called upon to rule out contributory negligence. Sometimes the patients are responsible for negligence of their health. In that case, if it is found that majority of the fault has taken place due to the patient; there can be counter lawsuits against the plaintiff. Moreover, you may also be penalized for the same. Hence, the malpractice needs to be determined first and only then the lawsuit will be filed.