Most Common Medical Malpractice Cases in Illinois
Medical malpractice cases in Illinois are less uncommon than you’t think. At least 250,000 people in the United States die every year as a result of medical mistakes, according to a study at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Because medical errors are often omitted on death certificates, experts estimate the actual number may be much higher.
When a doctor, hospital or other healthcare provider acts negligently, the patient may file a medical malpractice claim. Here is an overview of the most common types of medical errors:
Cerebral palsy and other birth injuries
Birth injuries can result when a physician or medical professional is negligent during pregnancy, labor and/or delivery. Cerebral palsy is one of the most common types of birth injuries. It can result from a medical mistake that deprived the newborn of oxygen, usually during labor or delivery.
Inadequate monitoring of the mother and fetus during pregnancy and labor, or failing to perform a cesarean section when the fetus is in distress can result in oxygen deprivation. This can cause the infant to be born with cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder or another type of birth injury.
Misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis or failure to diagnose
When a physician misdiagnoses a patient or fails to diagnose a serious disease like cancer in a timely manner, the patient can suffer serious harm. Missing out on surgery, chemotherapy or other treatment opportunities can cause the disease to progress, causing incapacitation or death.
In a malpractice claim, the doctor’s actions are compared to what other reputable physicians within the same specialty would have done in similar circumstances. If another doctor would have ordered different diagnostic tests or made the correct diagnosis sooner, there may be grounds for a malpractice lawsuit.
Medication errors
These kinds of mistakes are the cause behind many medical malpractice claims. There are various forms of medication errors, such as the wrong medication may be prescribed, or a physician may mistakenly prescribe a drug the patient is allergic to, causing a serious reaction.
The most common medication errors involve dosage; prescribing or administering too much or not enough of a drug. Sometimes, the doctor prescribes the correct dosage, but the pharmacist fills the prescription incorrectly. In a hospital setting, an overworked nurse may give the patient the wrong dosage. Equipment that automatically administers drugs may also malfunction, resulting in a patient receiving an overdose or too little of a necessary medication.
Surgical errors
There are a variety of surgical errors that can occur, from operating on the wrong patient or body part to positioning the patient incorrectly for the procedure being performed. Infections can be caused by deficient sanitary protocol or by items that are inadvertently left inside a patient, such as gauze pads or small instruments. Inadequate post-operative care can also result in illness or infection.
Anesthesia errors
Anesthesia is a critical part of most surgeries and many diagnostic procedures. It is also an area with little to no margin of error. A small mistake by an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist can result in permanent injury, brain damage or death.
Prior to surgery, it is important that the anesthesiologist thoroughly review the patient’s medical history and ascertain that the pre-operative instructions, such as refraining from food and liquid after a certain time were followed.
During surgery, administering too much anesthesia, failing to monitor vital signs or incorrectly intubating the patient may serve as the basis for a malpractice claim.
Medical malpractice law is complicated, but finding the right lawyer is simple.
Call 1-800-MALPRACTICE today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
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