Knee pain is a fact of life for millions of Americans, and doctors will typically try non-surgical treatments to address any underlying weakness. At some point, however, patients realize that a knee replacement is their best option, usually due to arthritis or other serious conditions. Unfortunately, not all knee replacements go smoothly.
At Chance, Forlines, Carter & King, PC, we have seen first-hand how many surgical patients struggle to recover following a botched surgery or after being implanted with a defective device. A knee replacement might have led to permanent disability and pain, so you should call our office to discuss possible legal remedies with an Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer.
What is a Knee Replacement?
Also called a knee arthroplasty, a knee replacement involves replacing worn out or damaged parts of the knee with artificial components. A total knee replacement would replace all three joint compartments.
During surgery, the doctor removes the damaged parts of the bone and knee, replacing them with parts made from plastic and metal. When done properly, a knee replacement relieves pain and allows a patient to walk almost as normally as before.
What Can Go Wrong
Any surgery carries risk of complications, including infection. However, some common problems arise when orthopedic surgeons do not exercise the care we expect of professionals with their training.
A doctor might clumsily install the device components, install the wrong parts, or damage healthy tissue while wielding a knife.
Some resulting problems include:
- Nerve damage
- Discrepancy in the length of both legs
- Bone fracture
- Pain
- Loose implant
- Knee instability
- Vascular injury
- Drop foot
- Anesthesia injuries
Understanding what went wrong in the operating room requires detailed knowledge of medical records and how a competent surgical team would have performed the surgery.
At our law firm, most of our clients only vaguely suspect something is wrong. Perhaps they continue to feel excruciating pain following surgery, or their new knee is even less stable than the old one. These patients are not entirely sure that something went wrong, but they have their suspicions.
If this describes you, then consult an experienced surgical malpractice lawyer for help identifying possible legal claims.
Did Your Doctor Obtain Informed Consent?
Every patient must give informed consent before undergoing surgery, including knee replacement surgery. A doctor should explain in plain language the risks and alternatives to knee replacement. Without this information, patients cannot make an informed choice.
If your doctor ignored possible complications or pushed you to surgery, then you might have a claim for a failure to obtain informed consent. This is also a type of medical malpractice, and in some ways the most serious.
At a minimum, your doctor should explain the following to comply with O.C.G.A. § 31-9-6.1:
- What condition the doctor is treating by performing knee replacement surgery;
- The nature and purpose of proposed surgery;
- Any material risks of surgery, including infection, loss of function, paralysis, allergic reaction, and things of that nature;
- The likelihood surgery will be successful;
- Any alternatives to surgery;
- Your prognosis as the patient if you forego surgery.
If your doctor overlooked these disclosures or rushed through them so you could not understand what was being said, then you might have a legal claim.
Defective Knee Implants
Sometimes a negative surgical outcome is the result of a defective implant. This could be the reason why the artificial knee does not work as expected. The implant could be designed improperly or been manufactured with substandard materials. The Food and Drug Administration has recalled hundreds of knee implants over the years, and defective medical devices continue to flood the market each year.
A defective implant needs to be removed, which leads to an additional surgery, extended down time, and increased or prolonged pain. Patients struggle with increased medical expenses and often a steep drop in income.
Call our law office to discuss whether a defective product is behind your knee pain. Our firm stays abreast of product recalls, and we can analyze whether you are injured by a defective product.
Contact an Atlanta Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today
Chance, Forlines, Carter & King, PC is an established law firm protecting the rights of injured patients. If you are disappointed in the outcome of knee replacement surgery, you are not alone. Too many people wake up suspecting the surgery did not fix their problem, and they spend years limping with pain or dealing with other disabilities. Now is the time to seek accountability from a negligent surgeon or hospital. Call us today to schedule a free consultation where we can discuss what steps to take next.