Medical Malpractice Suit Filed against University of Illinois Medical Center

Many of us know how scary it is to be sick or injured and not understand what is wrong, how to fix your ailment, and if it can be remedied at all. That is why we turn to medical experts who can help us heal through surgery, treatment, therapy, and the correct medications. However, when these medical professionals make mistakes through carelessness or a misjudgment where they should have known better, patients can suffer or be in a worse state as a result.

According to a recent article by the Cook County Record a mother has filed suit against the University of Illinois for failure to timely diagnose and treat her son’s MRSA infection. She alleges that through the failure of the medical staff, her son was not timely diagnosed and treated for an MRSA infection and necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating bacteria. She alleges that as a result of this failure in time, her son has suffered permanent and disfiguring injuries that he would not have otherwise suffered except for their negligence. In her suit the mother seeks damages and medical costs.

As a patient, healthcare providers, such as doctors and nurses, owe you a legal duty of care when you are receiving medical treatment. Because you are relying on their medical experience and knowledge, you are vulnerable by placing your trust and well-being in their hands. That is why it is the duty of healthcare providers to act with the utmost care. Where they fail to diagnose or cause you further injury or illness, a court may find them liable for medical malpractice.

In these instances, a court may find that but for a provider’s negligent actions or medical error that a patient would not have suffered or that a particular condition would not have occurred at all. For example, if a doctor would have taken the care to discover and diagnose that a patient had a particular disease, a court may find that timely treatment could have prevented the disease’s progression and the patient could have been treated and cured. Instead, by failing to diagnose, the healthcare provider’s error negligently allowed the disease to progress, the patient to suffer, and the time for treatment to be too late.

The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends ways for healthcare providers to prevent patient injury. The most common medical malpractice claim is failure to diagnose in a timely manner. To prevent patient injury, healthcare providers should follow their patients’ complaints to full diagnosis, prepare themselves mentally before procedures, and know when it is time to consult with a colleague or make a referral. By doing these things, a physician is being thorough and careful, and putting the patient’s health first.

f you or someone you love has suffered serious injuries or complication as a result of the medical errors of a healthcare provider, they should be held accountable, and you should be able to see compensation for suffering that was caused by the negligence of others. Your health is important, and you should not be treated carelessly. Call our firm for a free consultation, and we may be able to assist you with your case.

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