Even though LASIK surgery is considered one of the safest procedures available, it is still accompanied by the risk of complications. If your eye surgeon makes a surgical error during your LASIK procedure, the consequences can be disastrous, potentially leading to permanent vision problems or even blindness.
Recently, a New Jersey ophthalmologist agreed to pay $2.1 million in a medical malpractice settlement after he performed LASIK on a patient who was not a good candidate for the surgery. The patient had steep corneas, which severely increased his risk of complications. The procedure left him with a bulging cornea, resulting in long term vision complications. The doctor who performed this surgery has been sued for LASIK malpractice 16 times in his career.
A Chicago eye surgeon has faced more than 50 medical malpractice lawsuits since 2001. One of these patients required corneal transplant surgery as a result of his botched LASIK procedure. The Chicago ophthalmologist failed to diagnose a prior eye condition which made the patient an unsuitable candidate for LASIK.
It is surprising that these ophthalmologists are still licensed to practice. It seems that the medical community needs to more strictly monitor doctors who have faced such a large number of malpractice complaints.
It is crucial to evaluate the credentials of any doctor before you have him perform major surgery. The consequences for choosing the wrong doctor can be life altering.
If you have a medical malpractice claim in the New York City area, please contact the New York medical malpractice lawyers at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today to schedule your initial consultation.
