Injuries suffered to the large and small bowel are painful and usually result in extended hospital stays, permanent disability, and sometimes death.
Learning that you or a loved one’s bowel injury was due to a doctor’s negligence can be devastating. You may be dealing with substantial pain and suffering, coupled with a long road to recovery.
Even minor surgeries can result in a bowel injury if a doctor fails to uphold the standard of care required in their profession. As you struggle with whether to trust another doctor to treat the mistakes made during your surgery, your complications may be worsening.
A medical malpractice attorney can help you identify the signs of bowel injury after surgery, and they can help you get the compensation you need to pay medical and other malpractice-related bills.
To get started, contact us today.
Key Takeaways
- Bowel injuries after surgery can occur accidentally during procedures, sometimes leading to serious complications if not detected early.
- Common signs include severe abdominal pain, swelling, nausea, vomiting, fever, unusual bleeding, and a lack of bowel movements.
- Timely diagnosis is crucial; imaging tests, lab work, and sometimes exploratory surgery may be necessary to confirm an injury.
- Undetected bowel injuries can result in infections, sepsis, peritonitis, prolonged hospitalization, or the need for additional surgeries.
- If a surgical error caused the injury, patients may have legal options to seek compensation for medical expenses, pain, and suffering.
What Is a Bowel Injury?
A bowel injury is any puncture of the bowel wall. These injuries may occur due to certain medical conditions or mistakes made during specific medical procedures.
In surgery, a doctor may negligently perforate, cut, or burn a hole in an area affecting the colon or bowels. This trauma to the bowels can lead to leakage into the abdominal cavity, causing infections and inflammation.
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What Are Symptoms of a Bowel Injury?
There are various symptoms of a bowel injury that should be checked out immediately by a medical professional. Common symptoms most typically seen indicating a potential bowel injury include:
- Severe abdominal pain,
- Severe abdominal cramping,
- Bloating,
- Nausea,
- Vomiting,
- Change in bowel movements, and
- Fever and chills.
Untreated bowel injuries are dangerous and can lead to sepsis, requiring hospitalization. If no corrective surgery is undertaken or antibiotics are not prescribed, a person can die from this condition.
Types of Medical Conditions That Can Lead to Bowel Injuries
The risk of suffering bowel injuries increases if you are diagnosed with certain medical conditions, such as those listed below.
- Diverticulitis. Diverticula are pouches that form in the lining of your digestive system. When these pouches become inflamed, it can cause bowel injuries.
- Ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition due to inflammation in the colon. Those suffering from this condition experience flare-ups with more extended symptom-free periods.
- Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease causing inflammation of the tissues in your digestive tract. Most of those suffering from this disease experience abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, and malnutrition.
- Appendicitis. When the appendix becomes inflamed, appendicitis causes pain in the lower right abdomen as well as vomiting and diarrhea. It’s vital to seek medical attention immediately to avoid complications from your appendix bursting.
All of these conditions require a medical evaluation and diagnosis. You can avoid the potential for complications of a bowel injury by meeting with your doctor if you are experiencing any of the symptoms above before they become more severe.
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Surgeries That Can Result in Bowel Injuries
Many routine surgeries can lead to bowel injuries under the care of a negligent doctor, including those listed below.
- Hysterectomy. A hysterectomy is surgery to remove the uterus and is a common surgery for treating conditions affecting a woman’s reproductive organs. Patients may experience abdominal pain, poor appetite, bloating, nausea, fever, or diarrhea.
- Appendectomy. When an appendix must be removed, the doctor performs an appendectomy. This surgery is typically carried out in an emergency to avoid the imminent bursting of a person’s appendix.
- Laparoscopy. A laparoscopy is a surgical procedure used to examine the belly’s organs. It may also be used to explore a woman’s pelvic organs.
If you suffered bowel injury symptoms after a medical procedure, your attorney may advise you to pursue a medical malpractice claim against your doctor.
What Damages Can I Recover?
Recovering bowel injury compensation due to medical malpractice requires proving that the doctor failed to uphold the required standard of care when performing the surgery. Recoverable damages include economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages include tangible losses stemming from your bowel injury and commonly include:
- Medical expenses,
- Lost wages,
- Loss of future earnings, and
- Property damage.
Receipts, invoices, pay stubs, medical bills, and other similar documentation help your attorney calculate the value of this portion of your bowel injury compensation demand.
Non-economic damages represent subjective losses and represent the following:
- Pain and suffering,
- Emotional distress,
- Loss of consortium,
- Loss of enjoyment of life,
- Permanent injury or disability, and
- Disfigurement.
Due to their intangible nature, it’s vital to seek the assistance of a medical malpractice attorney to assess the value of these losses and hold the proper party responsible.
Is There a Cap on Recoverable Damages?
New Mexico law places a cap on compensatory damages for medical malpractice claims. This cap varies depending on the year that the malpractice occurred and what type of facility is responsible for the losses.
For instance, the maximum allowable damages is different for outpatient facilities that are not owned by a hospital and those facilities that are hospital-owned and controlled. However, past and future medical expenses are not capped. Speak to a medical malpractice attorney to assess your recoverable damages.
Signs of Bowel Injury After Surgery — FAQs
1. What is a bowel injury after surgery?
2. What are the common signs of bowel injury after surgery?
3. How soon after surgery can bowel injuries appear?
4. What causes bowel injuries during surgery?
5. What are the potential complications of an undetected bowel injury?
6. How are bowel injuries diagnosed after surgery?
7. Can bowel injuries after surgery be prevented?
8. When should I seek medical attention for possible bowel injury?
9. Can I take legal action if a bowel injury occurs due to surgical error?
10. How can an attorney help with a bowel injury case?
Contact a New Mexico Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today
With more than 50 years of experience, the attorneys at Poulos & Cavazos have a long history of representing victims of medical negligence and their families.
Our strong team of attorneys share valuable experience in medical practice cases and are in the courtroom almost daily. Understanding the complexity of the legal process, we can help you get the results you need and deserve.
As the only New Mexico law firm primarily focusing on medical malpractice litigation, our team has obtained more than $300 million in judgments and settlements on behalf of our clients. Our commitment to caring for clients and their families ensures the best representation possible.
We have experience handling a wide range of medical malpractice cases and are standing by, ready to help with yours. Contact us today by phone or email for a free consultation and learn how Poulos & Cavazos can help with your case.
Where to find our Las Cruces, NM office:
Victor Poulos, JD
For more than two decades, Victor Poulos has devoted his practice exclusively to representing patients and families harmed by medical negligence. He has handled complex medical malpractice cases involving hospitals, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other healthcare providers, and has taken hundreds of depositions of physicians, nurses, and hospital staff across nearly every medical specialty. Mr. Poulos has successfully tried high-stakes malpractice cases to verdict and is known for his meticulous case preparation and relentless advocacy on behalf of injured patients.
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