Many people associate plastic surgery with cosmetic surgery, used to enhance physical features for aesthetic purposes. However, it actually encompasses much more – many medical procedures that involve the reshaping or restructuring of body parts are considered plastic surgery. These procedures aren’t solely aesthetic in nature, as many of them (such as skin grafts and reconstructive procedures) are needed to help return certain parts of the body to their normal functions. If a complication arises in your procedure, you will probably consider filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. The Barber Law Firm in Dallas wants to make sure you know what is required for you to have the best chance of achieving a favorable result.
What You Need to Prove in Order to Succeed
Typically, in order to be successful in a medical malpractice case the plaintiff needs to prove that negligence was committed. You will have to prove these following elements in order to prove negligence:
- The patient was owed a duty of care by the plastic surgeon.
- The surgeon breached that duty of care.
- The negligent breach resulted in an injury to the patient.
It is usually very simple to prove the first element, since it is typically assumed that plastic surgeons have a duty of care to practice in accordance with the standards of the field of plastic surgery. However, proving causation – that the surgeon’s actions caused your injury – can be very difficult. There are times where injuries are not manifested until years after the procedure was performed. Also, there are usually several other professionals, such as nurses and other doctors, who are involved in a procedure. That is why you need to have the help of an experienced attorney if you are considering a medical malpractice lawsuit.
If you or someone close to you has been harmed after a medical procedure involving plastic surgery, contact The Barber Law Firm online or call us at 866-986-1529 to learn how we may be able to help. Have you ever been harmed after undergoing plastic surgery? Share your story by clicking one of the social media buttons on this page.
