Upon experiencing a medical emergency, individuals in Illinois and elsewhere may rely on doctors to address their conditions and initiate a course of treatment. Should a patient receive an incorrect or incomplete diagnosis, the treatment path may do little to help the situation or in some cases, could make matters worse. Unfortunately, studies indicate that this result occurs more often than one might think, as diagnostic errors are one of the leading causes of medical malpractice.
According to results from a recent study, diagnostic errors affect around 12 million patients around the nation each year. Researchers also assert that in more than half of these instances, these errors could cause patients to suffer serious harm. Another study asserts that diagnostic errors lead to the death of more than 40,000 people in America each year.
There are a variety of ways in which an incorrect or inaccurate diagnosis could open a person up to devastating repercussions. Such issues could lead doctors to prescribe the wrong medications and taking the incorrect type of medicine could prove disastrous in certain situations. Diagnostic errors could also cause a patient to go through extended periods without the proper treatment and sometimes a delay in care can also prove catastrophic.
Regardless of how it occurs, individuals who suffer serious or permanent harm after being subjected to medical malpractice may experience a variety of hardships in life. Those who face similar circumstances and wish to exercise their rights to seek accountability through the civil justice system could choose to consult with an attorney for advice on the next steps to take. Such guidance could help a person in Illinois better prepare to seek the compensation entitled through a claim against the party or parties deemed responsible.
