Frank Komorowski, 68 years old, was undergoing pacemaker surgery at NCH Downtown Naples Hospital in Florida. He awoke in the operating room to a frightening and damaging event. He smelled burning flesh and soon was to discover that he suffered second-degree burns to his shoulder, chest, and neck after he was negligently set on fire during his surgery.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, although surgical fires are rare, such events can be triggered by the combination of heat, alcohol, and oxygen in operating rooms. Typically these fires occur in an oxygen-enriched environment because the concentration of oxygen is typically greater than that of air in other rooms. Surgeons and other medical personnel must be aware of differences in operating room environments and must take proper precautions in response.
Medical malpractice errors lead to thousands of deaths and serious injuries each year. Although healthcare providers have access to more medical devices, diagnostic tests, and drugs than ever before, there remains a high rate of medical malpractice around the country, affecting thousands of unsuspecting patients who place their trust in their doctors, nurses, and hospitals.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice and would like to speak with a medical malpractice attorney, please contact us. Our lawyers are here to answer your questions and discuss how to protect your legal rights. Call our Boston, Massachusetts office at (617) 742-1900, or toll-free at 1-800-545-3732.
By James A. Swartz of Swartz & Swartz, P.C. – Permalink

About the Author: James Swartz

Mr. Swartz, our Managing and Principal Attorney at Swartz & Swartz P.C., is a nationally recognized and respected trial attorney as well as consumer advocate. His practice focuses on cases involving negligence, torts, products liability, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and other claims involving catastrophic injuries.