Lip Surgery - Do I have a case?

[Lipe]

Illinois...


I'd like to know whether or not I could sue for medical malpractice. I had a cyst removed from the lip while the doctor told me that it will not appear significantly asymmetric. I told him that if it will not be noticeable, lets proceed with the surgery. Yet it has been a month since surgery and there is a significant hole in my lip to the point where my teeth show. Do I have a case?

 

[ecmst12]

Unlikely. What did the doctor say about repairing this hole?

 

[Lipe]

The doctor told me that the lip will come back to the original shape and will not appear asymmetric, why is it that I won't have a case.

 

[cbg]

Because to expect that full healing will have occurred only a month after the surgery is unrealistic at best.

 

[Lipe]

Because to expect that full healing will have occurred only a month after the surgery is unrealistic at best.

Sorry, I should have been more specific and clear in my question. I meant if the the lip still appears asymmetric after months would I have a case.

 

[cbg]

Since to determine whether anyone "has a case" for medical malpractice requires a careful review of the medical records by an expert, it is a waste of time for a message board to try to establish, before full healing can possibly have happened, whether you might "have a case" some months in future.

So how about you hold off trying to sue till you see if there's actually something to sue for.

 

[Proserpina]

People scar differently in response to surgery; I'm not convinced any provider can guarantee no scarring, or the degree of scarring. Likelihood, perhaps - but guarantee? Not so much.

What did your informed consent say about risks?

 

[ecmst12]

You may need another surgery to repair things if it doesn't heal completely. In the end you should have acceptable results, it just may take more than one procedure. The doctor should be willing to do whatever work is necessary to make that happen. Was it a board certified plastic surgeon who did the procedure?

 

[commentator]

If you google lip cysts, you'll see that there are many kinds, and they require many different treatments, and they are notoriously bad to reappear and hard to heal. In fact, I had three surgeries and a series of laser treatments before we could manage to get the cyst on my lip to quit coming back. To expect perfect results after just one surgery, within a month of the surgery.....I suspect that your surgeon has some sort of disclaimers in the documents you signed. True, if there was genuine malpractice, those aren't applicable, but I think it is much much too early in this process to start talking about suing because you don't like the results so far.