Every year in the United States about 26,000 people are erroneously released from the emergency room after complaining of chest pain.
A heart attack is obviously a serious medical condition – if not diagnosed correctly and/or in a timely manner by a physician or medical professional, it could result in further injury or even death. When a physician fails to diagnose a medical condition that leads to further injury or death, they may be held liable.
If you have been the victim of a physician failing to diagnose a heart attack, or a loved one has died from this failure, then you may be entitled to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Proper Diagnosis of a Heart Attack
A heart attack is typically diagnosed by the symptoms a patient is experiencing. If a treating physician suspects a heart attack, tests should be administered to either confirm or rule it out. In addition, a treating physician may order tests to determine if coronary artery disease is the culprit.
Some of the different types of tests that may be run to determine if a patient is suffering from a heart attack include:
- EKG/ECG (electrocardiogram);
- EBCT (electron beam computerized tomography);
- Echocardiogram;
- Stress test;
- Cardiac enzyme laboratory studies; and
- Angiogram
When symptoms of a heart attack are present and your doctor or medical professional fails to properly diagnose the condition, you may seek to file a medical malpractice claim. A Chicago medical malpractice attorney can advise you of your rights and help you in the process of filling a medical malpractice lawsuit.
How Is a Heart Attack Treated?
A heart attack is treated by restoring the blood supply and reducing the stress on the heart. To successfully do this, time is of the essence. The sooner a heart attack is diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome.
A decision made by emergency room staff could mean the difference between recovery and disability, saving a life or causing severe injuries that can prove fatal. All it takes is one emergency room error to completely change an individual’s life.
What types of hospital errors can occur in an emergency room?
Hospital errors in an emergency room can range from misdiagnosing to a failure to treat. Some of the more common types of medical conditions that an emergency room doctor may misdiagnose include an acute stroke, appendicitis and a heart attack. Other types of hospital errors that can take place in an emergency room include:
- failure to order the appropriate tests or medication;
- misread findings of a test;
- giving a delayed or incorrect diagnosis;
- laboratory test errors;
- lab tests are misread;
- incorrect dosage of medication is given;
- incorrect type of medication is administered; and
- patient is not properly monitored.
Another type of emergency room negligence is if a patient is discharged for financial reasons, such as not having adequate or any health insurance. This is known as “patient dumping.” If a patient is critical and unstable yet they are discharged this could be a case for emergency room malpractice.
How a Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer Can Help
It doesn’t matter how busy or chaotic your emergency room visit was, if it caused you to suffer injuries you may have a case of emergency room negligence. Negligence of a healthcare provider can lead to the filing of an Illinois medical malpractice claim.
A Chicago medical malpractice lawyer can evaluate your case to determine if you have a valid claim. If so, they will help you proceed with the paperwork and collecting of evidence in your Illinois medical malpractice claim. Your Chicago medical malpractice lawyer may contact expert witnesses for testimony and perform their own investigation into your emergency room error.
Working on your behalf, a lawyer will do their best to protect your legal rights and help you fight for your Illinois medical malpractice claim.
When to Hire a Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer
A Chicago medical malpractice lawyer at the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. has dealt with similar cases to yours and knows the best course of action for your claim. To improve your chances at a fair settlement and take the burden out of all the paperwork involved in a medical malpractice claim in Illinois, contact us today for a free case evaluation – 312-263-1080.
