A gallbladder surgery claim seeks compensation for low-standard surgery on your gall bladder. Gallbladder surgery is straightforward, but when it goes wrong, the medical negligence causes ill health and can be life-threatening.
Gallbladder surgery, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, usually involves removing it to solve the painful problem of gallstones. You may also undergo gall bladder surgery after a cancer diagnosis and for other reasons.
Gallbladder surgery is a common procedure, with around 60,000 people undergoing it annually through the NHS. When gallbladder surgery goes wrong, and about 600 do each year, you will have a gallbladder surgery claim.
The surgical negligence includes damage to nearby organs, internal bleeding, and bile duct leakage. After negligent gallbladder surgery you’ll suffer pain, spend more time in hospital and may even develop sepsis.
A No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor takes your gallbladder surgery negligence claim to win you the compensation you deserve.
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What is gallbladder surgery negligence?
Gallbladder surgery negligence is when a surgeon does not do their job at an acceptable level, harming you in the process.
Your gallbladder surgery goes wrong if the surgeon is negligent in their duty of care to you. You will suffer if they nick a vein, fail to secure an incision, or do not detect a bile duct leakage.
Surgical negligence is the surgeon not doing their job correctly, and there is no excuse for it. After negligent gallbladder surgery, you will require more treatment and surgery, experience discomfort and may endure ill health for the rest of your life.
Gallbladder surgery complications happen when a surgeon operates at a level below professional standards. It is surgery of such a poor quality that no other medical professional would provide or accept it.
Many common gallbladder surgery claims for negligence are seen every year, and you can claim compensation when you suffer one.
Common gallbladder surgery claims for negligence
Common gallbladder surgery claims for negligence result from surgery for complications with your gallbladder.
Errors during gallbladder surgery, and bile duct injuries are avoidable. They will not happen if the surgeon and team properly follow the guidelines for successful gallbladder surgery.
Common gallbladder surgery claims for negligence are:
Cutting the bile duct during surgery
Cutting the bile duct during surgery happens when the surgeon slices or nicks the bile duct or ducts connecting the gallbladder to the small intestine.
Gallstones are balls of fat and cholesterol that form in the liver and are stored in your gallbladder. The gallstones leave the gallbladder through the bile ducts to be safely removed from the body.
Large gallstones get stuck in the bile ducts and require surgery to remove them.
Gallbladder surgical negligence is when the surgeon nicks the bile duct and misses the error during surgery. The bile leakage into the abdomen causes pain and infection and, if left undetected, will harm you.
You have a gallbladder surgery claim for negligence if the surgeon nicks a bile duct and does not repair it during surgery.
Surgery on the wrong bile duct
Surgery on the wrong bile duct is when the surgeon makes an error when removing gallstones.
Every surgeon should know exactly where they are to operate and what the surgery is to achieve. Removing gallstones is straightforward surgery, but it can go wrong if the surgeon is negligent during the operation.
To cut into the wrong bile duct is surgical negligence and will cause you unnecessary suffering and the need for further surgery.
Delays in gallbladder surgery
Delays in gallbladder surgery will cause you pain and further damage your health. Gallstones are painful when they block the bile ducts; the only relief is surgery to remove them.
Failing to detect a gallbladder problem leads to delays in surgery. The delay could be due to the doctor not ordering the correct scans and tests when examining you in the hospital.
Delays also happen when a medical professional does not read the results of the scans and tests correctly and misses the need for gallbladder surgery.
Any delay in surgery is time lost in treating your gallbladder problem and only causes you further pain and suffering.
Missing a cut to an artery during surgery
Missing a cut to an artery during surgery will lead to uncontrolled bleeding and the effects of heavy blood loss. It will also lead to infection and the consequences of blood poisoning on the body.
When removing the gallbladder, the surgeon can also slice nearby blood vessels or an artery. It should not happen, but when it does and is missed, it can seriously affect your health.
The surgical negligence of missing a cut to an artery during gallbladder surgery should not happen, and you can claim compensation when it happens to you.
Damage to the bowel or liver during gallbladder surgery
Damage to the bowel or liver during gallbladder surgery happens when the surgeon nicks the close-by organs and does not notice it. The damage will affect your health if the surgeon does not repair the cut or cuts immediately.
Every surgeon must perform at an acceptable standard when doing gallbladder surgery. To slice the bowels or liver and leave the damage unrepaired is surgical negligence.
Infected material can seep into the body, causing sepsis, liver failure and other complications. Patients may lose part of the liver or their bowel due to the surgical negligence.
All damage caused during surgery should be repaired immediately and not let fester and cause further illness.
Infection after gallbladder surgery
Infection after gallbladder surgery can happen when the surgical team fails to administer a postoperative antibiotic. The surgeon may not prescribe the antibiotic, or the team may forget to give it to the patient.
Leaks happen during gallbladder surgery and should be cleaned and removed immediately. Infection occurs after surgery if the surgical team does not clean the area properly of any infectious material.
Infection can also happen when a foreign object, such as a clip or swab, is left inside the patient.
If you suffer an infection after gallbladder surgery, you can make a claim for surgical negligence compensation.
Not giving medication after gallbladder surgery
Not giving medication after gallbladder surgery can cause infection, bleeding, and unnecessary pain. Your surgeon should know the risks of any surgery and prescribe the correct medications as a precaution.
After gallbladder surgery, you should be given:
The medication after gallbladder surgery will reduce the chances of the adverse effects of the operation. To not give medication is gallbladder surgery negligence, and you can claim compensation.
The wrong type of gallbladder surgery
The wrong type of gallbladder surgery results in unnecessary suffering and delays in treatment and will cause further complications.
Your surgeon should outline the pros and cons of both keyhole and open surgery before your operation and let you decide.
Keyhole surgery removes the gallbladder and has you in recovery in a couple of hours, while open surgery is invasive and leads to longer surgery and recovery time.
There are increased dangers and complications with open surgery. Heart problems, bile leaks, and infection are more likely to happen with open gallbladder surgery than with keyhole surgery. It is surgical negligence if you are not given the option of keyhole surgery for your gallbladder problem
If you are overweight or have an unusually shaped gallbladder, keyhole surgery may not work for you. Open surgery is the only safe option in your case. Undergoing keyhole surgery when you should have open surgery is gallbladder negligence.
If you suffer from gallbladder surgery negligence, you can claim for compensation.
Our Process
Our team members have a higher career win rate with a 75% success rate on NHS letters of claim, compared to an industry average of 54.5%.
Enquiry
The first step is to get in touch and tell us what went wrong. It’s free and easy. Call our 24-hour helpline: 0800 246 1122 or request a callback here.
Medical Evaluation
Once you have spoken with our team we’ll let you know how we can help. Typically the next step is to obtain your medical records for us to review.
Legal Letter
Once all your medical records have been received they will be reviewed by a medically & legally qualified member of our team. If there is evidence of negligence we will send a letter of claim to the negligent party outlining your compensation claim.
Claim for bile duct surgery negligence
You can claim for bile duct surgery negligence when the surgeon makes an error operating on the bile ducts or the gallbladder. Bile duct surgery negligence leads to leaks into the abdomen that cause infection and severe pain in the patient.
Gallbladder removal surgery also involves surgery on the bile ducts, and negligence happens when the surgeon does not do their work at a professional level.
A claim for bile duct surgery negligence happens after:
The surgeon cuts the common bile duct in error
The surgeon cuts the common bile duct in error when they should be operating on the cystic bile duct.
The error should not happen. The surgeon should know exactly where the surgery will happen, and there is no excuse for this type of negligence.
A cut to the common bile duct can cause bile to seep into the body, causing infection, sepsis, and blood poisoning.
Incorrect use of bile clips
Incorrect use of bile clips during surgery can cause bile to leak out of the ducts and into other parts of the body.
The bile duct clips must be secured correctly and not allowed to come loose during surgery. Cholecystectomy clips used in the wrong place can obstruct surgery and cause errors.
Not using bile duct clips correctly when removing the gallbladder will lead to leaks into the abdomen and cause infection.
Not sealing the cut to a bile duct
Not sealing the cut to a bile duct happens when the surgeon does not pay attention during surgery.
The surgery to remove the gallbladder may go well, but if the cut to a bile duct goes unnoticed, it also goes unrepaired. Not sealing the cut to a bile duct during surgery leads to it leaking, causing infection and even sepsis.
The problem may not become an issue until sometime after surgery when pain, inflammation and high temperature become symptoms of the resulting infection.
Failing to diagnose the need for bile duct surgery
Failing to diagnose the need for bile duct surgery only delays the treatment and increases the patient’s suffering.
A blocked bile duct is a painful condition with many side effects and symptoms. After reading your notes, a fully trained doctor should diagnose your condition and not miss the need for bile duct surgery.
Symptoms of a blocked bile duct needing surgery are:
When you suffer the symptoms of a blocked bile duct, the doctors should order tests and prepare you for surgery.
Damage to bile ducts during gallbladder removal surgery
Damage to bile ducts during gallbladder removal surgery should not happen, but it does due to surgical negligence.
If the surgeon does not perform your gallbladder removal surgery with due care, they will damage the bile ducts, causing you long-term ill health.
Surgeons not adequately trained to use keyhole surgery instruments do damage to the bile ducts and even other nearby organs.
Bile duct damage in gallbladder surgery is a cause of infection and other complications.
When you suffer gallbladder surgery negligence, you can claim compensation for the damage to your health.
100% Compensation
If your claim wins we will pay you 100% of the compensation with no deductions. You get 100% every penny with no deductions. New claims only with no previous solicitors.
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If your claim wins our costs are paid by the negligent party so you get paid 100% of the compensation recovered.
Our Expert Team
Our Dr Anthony Barton edits the leading book “Clinical Negligence”. Anthony and his wife Penelope (a GP) have a combined sixty years of medical and legal experience.
Compensation for gallbladder surgery negligence
Compensation for gallbladder surgery negligence ranges from more than £5,000 for a minor injury to more than £130,000 in some cases. Compensation amounts differ depending on the severity of the medical negligence and its long-term effects on you.
Compensation amounts for gallbladder surgery negligence:
All amounts are approximate and are only a guide to what is possible in gallbladder surgery claims.
As in all medical negligence claims, each case is dealt with on merit and how much you suffer due to the gallbladder surgery.
A No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor will be the only one who can advise you on a gallbladder surgery claim. They will know from experience what your case may be worth and how to make a successful claim.
Your No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor will handle your gallbladder surgery claim for compensation and for all damages incurred.
Using a No Win No Fee solicitor
Using a No Win No Fee solicitor is the only way to a successful gallbladder surgery compensation claim. Your No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor will not charge you for a claim you do not win.
Always have a fee agreement in place before engaging a medical negligence solicitor. If they start talking of a ‘win fee’ or a ‘success fee,’ you should walk away. The negligent party insurers should pay all fees.
The medical negligence solicitor should also operate a 100% Compensation Guarantee scheme. When you win the case, all the money awarded should go to you, not the solicitor.
You are the one who suffered the gallbladder surgery, and you deserve the compensation to get your life back to normal.
Can I make a medical negligence claim against the NHS?
Yes, you can make a medical negligence claim against the NHS. Suing the NHS for negligence is not unusual. People sue the NHS for compensation for medical negligence and receive the money they deserve for the negligent treatment.
There are between 8,000 and 10,000 successful medical negligence claims against the NHS each year—amounts in compensation claims awarded against the NHS range from £1000 to over £10 million.
The amount of compensation you receive covers minor injuries such as scarring to serious life-threatening negligence, which leaves you with long-term care needs.
We trust in and use the NHS daily and do not expect negligence. It happens, though, and the NHS has a dedicated team to handle medical negligence compensation claims, called NHS resolution.
NHS Resolution has a responsibility to treat patients who seek compensation fairly. Patients pay for the NHS through their taxes, and for that they deserve respect and the best medical treatment.
Contact The Medical Negligence Team
Contact the Medical Negligence Team today to discuss your gallbladder surgery claim for compensation. We have both the legal and medical experts to guide you along the steps to a successful medical negligence claim for compensation.
At the Medical Negligence Team, we fight every compensation claim on a No Win No Fee basis. You will not be out of pocket for an unsuccessful claim.
We have a very high success rate and a reputation for a speedy and successful resolution to all medical negligence cases.
Our 100% Compensation Guarantee puts all the money you win into your pocket. You or your loved one suffered gallbladder surgery and deserve every penny of the compensation claim.
Contact us at the Medical Negligence Team for all your medical negligence needs.
