How to Know If You Are a Victim of Medical Malpractice

In Illinois, medical malpractice is considered a serious offense. While it is understandable that accidents do happen and not every medical mistake can be linked with malpractice, there are certain cases where doctors should be held liable for the negligence on their part. The victims of medical malpractice are awarded compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, and any other financial stress that they sustained because of delayed or wrong medical treatment.

An average person doesn’t know which health condition requires what type of medical treatment. Due to this, determining that you or your loved one is a victim of medical malpractice can be difficult. However, the following are some common signs and situations that may indicate the negligence of your medical practitioner.

Ineffective Treatment

You may be the victim of a misdiagnosis if you have been receiving treatment, but it is not working or improving your health condition. In such a case, you are at the risk of developing other diseases as a result of delayed diagnosis. Moreover, if you are taking medication for a problem that you don’t have, it can have harmful side effects on your body, causing additional injuries.

Diagnosis based on Basic Tests

Like medical practitioners and hospitals, labs can also make mistakes. You should be wary of lab test results, especially when you don’t exhibit symptoms that are associated with a diagnosed disease. Mostly, doctors base their judgments on these lab results and don’t question their accuracy, which leads to misdiagnosis. If you think that there is a discrepancy in the results, you should get the same tests done from a different lab.

Contradictory Diagnoses of Two Different Doctors

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a serious disease, it is advisable that you seek a second opinion. In case both the opinions differ completely, you should take a third opinion to determine which one is the right diagnosis. This also shows that the doctor who misdiagnosed your condition was not diligent in your care, and if you suffered in any way due to their negligence, you may consider it as a sign of malpractice.

Lack of Informed Consent

If the diagnosis indicates that you require a surgery, it is mandatory that you sign a form stating that you understand the consequences and provide your consent to go ahead. Before signing the consent form, it is your surgeon’s duty to provide you complete information of the risks of the surgery and answer any question that you may have. If a surgeon performs the surgery without informing you about the risks, it is considered as lack of informed consent. After the surgery, if you face any complication that was a defined risk of the surgical procedure, you can file a medical practice claim against the doctor.

There are many situations where medical practitioners intentionally or unintentionally make errors that lead to serious injuries and sometimes, even death. If any of the above signs are familiar to your case, there is a good chance that you may have a medical malpractice case. Contact Fisk & Monteleone LTD. today at 815-209-9030 to schedule a free case consultation with one of our experienced medical malpractice lawyers and evaluate your legal options.