When you go to see the doctor, be it a private practice, hospital or emergency room, you expect to receive a certain standard of care from all of the medical professionals you come into contact with. Unfortunately, medical malpractice is a daily occurrence across America, and you may end up leaving in more pain than when you arrived, or you may not leave at all.
Physicians, nurses and other medical staff can’t be expected to remember all of the symptoms for every condition known to man, but they should be held accountable when they fail to recognize and/or treat a common injury or illness. If your doctor, nurse, anesthetist or even your dentist failed to provide the accepted standard of care expected from all competent medical staff, you likely have a medical malpractice claim.
Medical malpractice lawsuits commonly involve these injuries:
1. Missed or delayed diagnosis: In some cases, a delayed or missed diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death such as early to late stages of cancer or an infectious disease.
2. Birth injuries: Several forms of birth injuries can be caused by obstetrical malpractice such as brachial plexus injury, Erb’s palsy and cerebral palsy, all of which can lead to lifelong disability or difficulty for the child. Birth injuries also take a significant emotional and financial toll on the parents.
3. Medication error: An estimated 1.5 million people are injured by medication error in America each year. Injuries and wrongful death from medication error can happen when:
- A doctor writes the wrong prescription or prescribes medication for the wrong condition.
- A nurse administers the wrong medication or amount of medication.
- The equipment responsible for administering medication malfunctions.
4. Surgical error: Surgeons work long hours and sometimes don’t see the patient until the procedure begins. Surgical errors can involve amputation of the wrong limb, operating on the wrong body part or performing surgery on the wrong patient entirely.
5. Anesthesia error: Going under anesthesia always increases the patient’s risk for complications. The slightest error can cause brain injury or death. Anesthesia error injuries can be caused by incorrect dosage, equipment failure, failure to monitor vital signs and many other circumstances.
If you or a loved one has been injured at the hands of a doctor or another medical professional, contact our lawyers in Chicago at (800) LAW-0300Â to discuss your potential medical malpractice lawsuit. The Sklare Law Group serves clients in Chicago and surrounding Illinois areas.