Medical equipment left inside the body after surgery
If you've discovered that medical equipment was left inside your body after surgery, you're probably feeling shocked, violated, and deeply concerned about your health. At The Medical Law Partnership Solicitors, we understand how traumatic this experience can be. Retained surgical items are classified as "never events" in healthcare, meaning they should never occur when proper procedures are followed. We're here to help you secure the compensation you deserve for this unacceptable medical error and to guide you through the process of holding those responsible to account.
How common is medical equipment being left inside the body after surgery?
While it may seem unthinkable, NHS data shows that surgical items are left inside patients hundreds of times each year in the UK. The most commonly retained objects include swabs, clips, screws, broken instrument fragments, and even entire surgical tools in rare cases. These incidents occur across all types of surgery, from routine procedures to complex operations. What makes these cases particularly distressing is that they’re entirely preventable with proper counting protocols and safety checks. We’ve helped many clients in your situation, and we know how life-altering these errors can be, both physically and psychologically.
The errors we typically see in these cases include surgical teams failing to perform mandatory instrument counts, not following hospital counting protocols correctly, becoming distracted during counts, or ignoring discrepancies in the counts. Other failures involve not using detectable equipment that would show up on scans, failing to order post-operative imaging when counts are unclear, and dismissing patients’ symptoms that might indicate a problem. In nearly all cases we handle, multiple staff members share responsibility for these preventable errors, demonstrating systemic failures in what should be straightforward safety procedures.
Beginning your claim with us is simple and completely risk-free. When you first contact us, we’ll listen carefully to understand your experience and how the retained object has affected your health and quality of life. Our specialist solicitors will obtain your medical records and work with surgical experts to build a strong case proving negligence. We’ll handle all communications with the hospital and their insurers, taking that burden off your shoulders. Importantly, we work on a no-win, no-fee basis, so you can pursue justice without worrying about legal costs. From the moment you instruct us, we’ll guide you through every step with compassion and professionalism, keeping you informed at all times.
Your compensation will reflect the full impact of this negligence. This includes damages for the pain and suffering caused by the retained object and its removal, compensation for any additional surgeries or treatments you’ve needed, reimbursement for lost earnings if you’ve been unable to work, and costs for any ongoing care requirements. For severe cases where the object caused permanent damage, such as organ injury or chronic infection, compensation amounts increase significantly to account for lifelong consequences. We’ll also ensure your claim reflects the psychological trauma of knowing a foreign object was left inside you, including any anxiety about future medical treatment or loss of trust in healthcare professionals.
Most retained surgical equipment claims take between 2 to 4 years to resolve, as hospitals often admit liability relatively quickly for these clear errors. However, if your case involves complex injuries, disputed medical evidence, or requires assessment of long-term prognosis, it may take longer, potentially extending to 5 years or more in some circumstances. The timeline depends on factors like how promptly the hospital responds, whether they dispute aspects of your claim, and the extent of your injuries. While we’ll always work efficiently to resolve your claim, we’ll never compromise on securing the full compensation you deserve, regardless of how long the process takes.
Contact The Medical Law Partnership Solicitors today.
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