Cataract surgery complications: Things to know

Eye surgery is a delicate procedure and any kind of error can have devastating impact on you. One such surgical operation is Cataract eye surgery. If you feel that after a surgery you have faced complications or an adverse outcome, then you can file a lawsuit against your eye surgeon. However, what is important to note here is that not all mistakes can be a malpractice case. Certain essential grounds have to be proven by your attorney to file a lawsuit. This is done by consulting an expert ophthalmologist witness. These witnesses are central to medical malpractice cases. Without these forensic guidance and unbiased case reports, the jury may either decide the case too early or they might dismiss the case. In this article, you’ll know about the risks and complications associated with cataract surgery.

Cataract surgery: Risk factors to know:

Before knowing the complications, it is important to know why a cataract surgery is done. Cataract problems usually take place in older people. The patient faces vision problems due to cloudy lens. Cataract surgery is the best method to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with a new and artificial lens for a clearer vision. Some of the common risks involved in a cataract surgery are: dropped nucleus, inadequate anesthetic, posterior capsule tear, incorrect anesthesia applications, infections and other kind of post-surgical complications.

When can there be a malpractice case in eye surgery?

You might have faced unexpected results after a surgery but that does not tantamount to a medical malpractice case. To challenge your ophthalmologist, you have to prove that the surgeon was negligent and that the treatment provided by him/her is below the medical standard of care. To prove this, you’ll probably need to get in touch with an eye surgery expert witness who had been a surgeon and has experience of performing cataract surgeries. These medical witnesses will testify as to how the surgeon was negligent or what a competent surgeon of the same credibility would have done under the similar conditions. Medical malpractice cases are basically the complex interactions of legal and medical issues and therefore, it is impossible to find out the exact facts without the support of an expert witness. The attorneys, no matter how experienced they are will approach these witnesses for medico-legal guidance.

Procedures and limitations in medical malpractice case:

Though the procedure will vary from one state to another, there are certain general rules that are followed to file a lawsuit against your ophthalmologist.

• A short deadline will be given within which the case has to be filed (The statute of Limitations)
• Advance notice of the lawsuit or negotiations outside the court before taking the matter ot the court.
• Need of expert witnesses as per the case needs. (For instance, if there has been a malpractice in retina surgery, you’ll need a retina surgery expert witness).
• The total amount of compensation that can be recovered.

To win a case, the support of these expert witnesses is extremely crucial. This is because the final outcome of the case depends a lot on the expert opinion and case records.