Medical Malpractice Resources and Articles | Page 7

Illinois doctors have a commitment to provide the same quality care to all patients at all times. When a doctor discriminates against a patient, the patient could receive negligent medical care. This could cause irreversible harm. All folks should have protection under the 1977 Human Rights Law to be treated with “respect,” but a recent […]
Patient Safety

Last month on our Joliet medical malpractice law blog, we had mentioned that prescription painkiller overdose deaths remain a huge concern in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that one type of painkiller, methadone, is the cause of about 30 percent of all fatal pain-reliever overdoses. Although patients are certainly […]
Medication Errors

Sometimes surgeons may forget to disclose important information to Chicago patients. This is certainly a form of negligence. But are there some surgeons out there who intentionally conceal information from patients? One woman’s medical malpractice lawsuit alleges that her physician intentionally concealed information about her surgery because she was being used as an experiment. The […]
Surgical Errors

How many times have you questioned your doctor about a medication you were prescribed to take? Have you ever questioned your physician or a loved one’s doctor about a diagnosis or recommended treatment? Medical experts and patient safety advocates believe that those who ask questions in Chicago doctors’ offices and hospital rooms may not only […]
Medication Errors

A consumer advocacy group, Public Citizen, recently reported that payments for U.S. medical malpractice claims have been dropping steadily for eight years. Payments in 2011 were the lowest on record since 1991. Chicago patients and their families might certainly be inclined to interpret this information as positive news. After all, fewer payments mean fewer instances […]
Medical Error

Each July, major staffing changes take place in teaching hospitals in Chicago and all across the country. Freshly-graduated medical school students start their new positions as interns. During this time, those who have completed training and resident programs move on to new roles and begin providing care to patients without being managed by well-seasoned medical […]
Doctor Errors

Two years ago, a pregnant woman suspected that she was beginning to go into labor because her water had broken. When a pregnant woman’s water breaks, amniotic fluid begins to leak which often signifies that a woman is close to labor. Typically, doctors and hospitals will conduct a test to determine whether a pregnant woman’s […]
Birth Injuries

Parents may certainly consider screening pediatricians and family doctors in Joliet before choosing which medical professionals they will trust with their children’s lives. Nothing can be more painful than to see a child suffer, and when a child is ill, parents want to be sure that a child’s doctor will properly diagnose and treat their […]
Wrongful Death

When Illinois medical professionals make mistakes during labor and birth, babies are at risk of suffering serious or fatal injuries. Sometimes these injuries may require only a few extra days of medical treatment before a mother and her new baby can go home in good health. Unfortunately, other mistakes that lead to birth injuries can […]
Brain Injuries

Organ transplants are complex and sometimes risky surgeries. But when a transplant is performed correctly, a patient’s health could improve significantly. In some cases, an organ transplant may even help to save a patient’s life in Will County. In 2008, one patient decided that the benefits of a pancreas transplant would far outweigh the risks […]
Failure to Diagnose

Medical professionals are not only responsible for treating patients when ill, they are also responsible for recognizing obvious signs of illness that have gone undetected. When a physician fails to diagnosea patient, or provides an inaccurate diagnosis, the physician could be held responsible. Notification laws that have been passed in a handful of states, not […]
Failure to Diagnose

In an effort to improve the quality of care provided at hospitals, a familiar concept for evaluating achievement will now be used by one nonprofit group to rate hospitals: letter grades. Consumer Affairs reports that the nonprofit The Leapfrog Group and a Blue Ribbon Panel evaluated over 2,650 hospitals from around the United States and […]
Patient Safety

A lawsuit has been filed against two doctors and one nurse at an Illinois hospital. The suit was filed by a mother who claims that the medical providers caused the birth injury her daughter sustained during delivery. She says the injury ultimately led to the baby’s death. According to a report, the woman filing suit […]
Birth Injuries

Chicago readers are probably aware of the kind of confusion that can be caused by simple miscommunication. But when miscommunication results in a medication error that causes a patient to become sick, it isn’t a simple error. That’s why it’s important for readers to be aware that you have rights. If you or someone you […]
Medication Errors

Mistakes made by a medical provider can be serious and long lasting. For a child who is inflicted with a brain injury due to a medical provider’s negligence it can be traumatic for both the child and the parents. A brain injury might require ongoing medical care throughout life. This is the case for a […]
Brain Injuries + Settlements

Many people in Illinois and across the country put their lives in the hands of medical professionals when they are ill. We trust that medical professionals have the experience and training to make decisions that will keep us safe. When mistakes are made that result in a person’s death a family may decide to file […]
Wrongful Death

When someone files a medical malpractice claim, expert witnesses can be the difference between winning and losing the case because of the expertise that they contribute to the lawsuit. But, that’s only if the expert witness makes it to the stand. In some states, legislation is making it increasingly difficult for expert witnesses to qualify […]
Medical Malpractice Reform

It’s likely that Illinois readers are aware that mistakes made by a physician can be devastating. Certain mistakes can result in brain injuries that can result in memory loss, paralysis, coma, or a persistent vegetative state. Some brain injuries result in death. If you or someone you love suffered a brain injury due to the […]
Brain Injuries

A large percentage of Illinois medical malpractice cases are a result of medication errors. Medications prescribed in hospitals, doctor’s clinics and nursing homes can cause a great deal of harm to a patient if they are given the wrong medication or wrong dosage. Policymakers are working to curb the amount of injuries caused by medication […]
Medication Errors

Illinois readers who are parents can understand what it’s like when you are eagerly awaiting the birth of your child. When a child suffers birth injuries during the delivery it can be devastating. This is the case for the Illinois parents of a baby who suffered an Erb’s palsy birth injury in November of 2011. […]
Birth Injuries