Failure to Diagnose | Cirignani Heller & Harman, LLP

At some point, many Illinois residents will either experience cardiac problems firsthand or have a family member who is impacted. When an individual or a family member is diagnosed as having some sort of heart condition, they are typically referred to a cardiologist who may conduct additional tests and procedures. Like all doctors, cardiologists must […]

One of the most disheartening situations for any Illinois resident who is dealing with an illness is when their condition gets misdiagnosed. They put trust in their doctor in hopes of figuring out what is wrong with them only to learn, sometimes at a point that may be too late, that the doctor made a […]

With many illnesses and diseases, prompt diagnosis and treatment is critical. This is especially true when a patient is facing cancer, where early diagnosis and aggressive treatment can sometimes literally mean the difference between life and death. In cases where a doctor fails to diagnose a patient as having cancer, precious time is wasted that […]

Individuals, who experience a medical emergency while at home, readily rely upon paramedics to quickly diagnosis and provide emergency medical treatment and transportation to a hospital. In many cases, paramedics are credited with preventing a patient from suffering additional injury and even saving a patient’s life. Unfortunately, there are cases in which responding paramedics fail […]

When Illinois residents hear the word misdiagnosis, many likely think of cases in which a doctor fails to detect that a patient has cancer or some other life-threatening illness. While there are certainly patients impacted by this type of misdiagnosis, there are others who are lead to wrongly believe they have a disease or illness […]

While most wives deeply love and respect their husbands, few have the ability to literally save their husband’s life. For one man, who was in need of a kidney, his wife was happy to be able to provide the life-saving organ. Sadly, what should have been a successful kidney transplant ended with the kidney being […]

Individuals who suffer from chronic medical conditions and experience bothersome or painful side effects are often desperate to find relief. Doctors who treat patients who suffer from these types of conditions or disorders must therefore be careful to consider a patient’s psychological state when assessing a patient and recommending a treatment plan. In some cases, […]

Any surgical procedure can result in a patient suffering serious and life-altering injuries. One 33-year-old woman recently filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the hospital and doctors who she contends are negligent in causing her to suffer severe and debilitating injuries. Roughly four years ago, the woman underwent a procedure to remove an ectopic pregnancy. […]

Individuals impacted by a medical mistake must often deal with tremendous physical pain and discomfort. Additionally, these individuals may experience emotional and mental pain and anguish as they are left to deal with a serious injury or permanent disability. Those dealing with the repercussions of a medical error are also often adversely impacted financially as […]

Individuals who are experiencing worrisome or painful symptoms often seek the advice of a medical professional. Typically a doctor takes a patient’s vital signs, asks he or she to describe the symptoms and performs an examination. Additionally, a doctor may order diagnostic tests to either pinpoint or rule out certain possible medical conditions. Incidents of […]

When facing any type of medical disorder, disease or condition; early diagnosis and intervention is key to ensuring for the best possible outcome. This is especially true in the case of cancer where a patient’s prognosis and treatment options often depend on how far the cancer has progressed. According to the American Cancer Society, each […]

Individuals tend to visit the doctor or a hospital when they feel ill or are experiencing worrisome symptoms. Even in cases where an individual is coherent and competent, explaining exactly what’s wrong to a nurse or doctor can sometimes be difficult. Those individuals who are not able to express their concerns or discomfort must rely […]

The human appendix is a small tube-shaped sac that is located at the base of the large intestines. Despite its existence, doctors don’t really know what purpose the appendix serves as people can live without an appendix. What is clear is that when problems occur with the appendix, prompt diagnosis and medical intervention is necessary. […]

In the last 20 years, the U.S. health care system has vastly changed. Today, many hospitals encourage a culture in which doctors are pressured to see as many patients as possible in a day and rewarded accordingly. As a result, doctors often rush through exams and patients may fail to express concerns and receive adequate […]

Even seemingly simple and routine medical examinations and procedures can result in a patient suffering harm and injury. Individuals who are very young and very old are often most at risk for suffering these types of injuries as they tend to be more physically fragile and may be unable to effectively communicate feelings of pan […]

We don’t always give a lot of thought to our feet, at least until they start to hurt or suffer some other problem. Then getting proper treatment becomes very important, so that we can return to our everyday lives. The last thing any of use want is for a doctor to perform unnecessary, invasive procedures […]

Imagine losing your spouse to a medical mistake when she is still in her 30s, leaving you to raise three young children. That is the tragic situation one man is in. His wife died in 2011 after a botched catheterization damaged an artery in her heart. The jury in the resulting medical malpractice case against […]

Lyme disease is a potentially serious illness that is spread by deer ticks. It can range from flu-like symptoms to permanent conditions like arthritis, numbness and paralysis. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that, officially speaking, there are around 30,000 cases of Lyme disease in the country each year, including several in […]

Controversial baseball star Alex Rodriguez has been in the news a lot lately. Major League Baseball recently suspended him for 211 games for alleged connections to a medical lab that supplied illegal performance-enhancing drugs to athletes. Rodriguez is appealing his suspension. There are many twists and turns in Rodriguez’ story. Besides the suspension fight, he […]

A man might be able to walk today if the physician who cared for him in the hospital had acted reasonably to treat his condition, according to a new medical malpractice lawsuit. The doctor is accused of failing to treat an epidural abscess, causing him to suffer paralysis. The plaintiff was admitted into the hospital […]