Advances in modern medicine have helped to increase the human life span, ward off disease, and treat conditions that were previously thought fatal. The foundation of any medical treatment is dependent on a proper and accurate diagnosis. Doctors must order the appropriate tests, which must be performed correctly and interpreted correctly.
It is an unfortunate reality that in many instances, doctors and physicians act negligently and cause serious injuries to innocent victims. Something as simple as a delayed diagnosis can result in a catastrophic injury or loss. At the Law Offices of Adam J. Zayed, P.C., we are a premier law firm that handles medical malpractice and misdiagnosis cases in Chicago and the surrounding areas. We are one of the fastest growing medical malpractice law firms in the area and have a proven track record obtaining significant settlements and verdicts on behalf of our clients. Have questions? Read our FAQ page for more information.
Doctors and medical providers are required to abide by a standard of care. When this standard of care is deviated due to a misdiagnosis, a failure to diagnose or a delayed diagnosis, it is the patient who suffers. Studies have shown that 42 percent of patients feel they have suffered from a medical error or a missed diagnosis at the hands of a doctor. And what is more astonishing is that the rate of misdiagnosis has not improved at all since the 1930s. This is because patient safety can unfortunately be put behind the cost of medical tests, drugs and operations in terms of importance.
Our Joliet medical malpractice lawyer undertakes a wide range of work in the area of medical malpractice, including cases involving:
- Hospital malpractice
- Medication/prescription errors
- Anesthesia errors
- Birth injuries
- Failure to diagnose
- Surgical errors
Medical Misdiagnosis
There are different kinds of medical misdiagnosis. Most commonly, medical misdiagnosis involves a wrong diagnosis completely. A patient is at the biggest risk in this situation because treatment is directly affected by the medical condition the patient is suffering from. The wrong diagnosis could also involve diagnosing a person with a condition whose symptoms are actually side effects of a medication he or she is taking.
In cases of minor illness, such as the common cold, identification of a condition's subtype is not necessary. But in other cases, such as those involving heart problems or diabetes, failure to identify a subtype can be a serious and life-threatening concern. Each patient is unique, so it is important that the doctor understands enough about the patient's ailment.
Besides a specific subtype, medical misdiagnosis can also involve a failure to identify the underlying cause or secondary condition that a patient may be suffering. This underlying cause might actually be the real cause of the condition that has been diagnosed. A patient's health can suffer as a result of inappropriate or inadequate treatment in these cases.
In other circumstances, the medical misdiagnosis is related to under- or over-diagnosed conditions. This negligence on behalf of the doctor can be extremely dangerous to the well-being of the patient because he or she is either diagnosed with a condition he or she does not have or is not diagnosed with a condition he or she truly has.
We handle medical misdiagnosis cases concerning:
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Infections and sepsis
- Meningitis
- Tuberculosis
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Breast cancer
- Lung cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Pulmonary embolism
- Appendicitis
Contact An Illinois Medical Negligence Attorney
We welcome the opportunity to talk to you about your legal situation. Please contact the Law Offices of Adam J. Zayed, P.C., to schedule an initial consultation to discuss your legal situation.Complete a short online contact form. Our team is happy to schedule consultations at a time that is convenient for you. You do not pay lawyer's fees unless we recover compensation for you. We have two office locations: Joliet and Chicago, Illinois.
