Millions of people in the United States hold physicians and medical facilities in high esteem, and hope that when it comes to treating their medical condition, the utmost care is provided. However, at the same time, each year many patients sustain serious injuries as the result of some form of laboratory mistake. These kinds of laboratory mistakes can be seen across a wide spectrum of pathology-related and radiology tests.
In a pathology laboratory, numerous tests are conducted in any given day. These may range from examination of biopsies, to blood samples or tissue specimens. Likewise, in a radiology lab, there may be many kinds of scans performed and various factors that can cause a medical lab result to be inaccurate.
Some of the common reasons for inaccuracies in medical lab results include:
- problems with the specimen (incorrectly drawn);
- biopsy didn’t extract the correct tumor cells;
- patients’ sample was not labeled properly resulting in a mix-up;
- mishandled specimen, blood samples, etc;
- identification errors (such as incorrect computer inputs); and
- misinterpreted results.
Laboratory mistakes can lead to serious harm or even death in extreme cases. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a laboratory mistake, a Chicago medical malpractice attorney can talk to you about your options for legal recourse.
Laboratory Mistakes and Chicago Medical Malpractice Claims
The results you receive after you’ve undergone a medical test have passed through many channels before they get back to you. A medical test is typically performed in your doctor’s officer or at a medical facility, and then the sample/specimen is sent to the lab for testing.
In the lab, it is examined and analyzed by a medical professional (or a group of medical experts). They interpret the sample and return their feedback to your physician and he or she makes the final diagnosis.
While the process appears systematic and professional, medical testing is still prone to errors.
In fact, anything could go wrong at any point throughout the process, the result being a laboratory mistake that results in your injury. In such a case, you may choose to talk to a Chicago medical malpractice attorney about your options for filing a Chicago medical malpractice claim,
Each year, hundreds of patients receive inaccurate results and diagnoses as a result of medical testing which has been flawed by laboratory mistakes. While the circumstances will vary for every case of medical malpractice resulting from a laboratory mistake, it is not uncommon for a victim to experience pain and suffering as well as potentially life-changing consequences. If you have been seriously injured as the result of a laboratory mistake, a Chicago medical malpractice attorney can talk to you about your options for filing a claim and inform you of whether or not you have a viable case. Some of the more serious effects of laboratory mistakes may include:
- unnecessary surgery;
- delayed treatment of your actual medical condition;
- incorrect blood type transfusion; and
- incorrect prescription and medication.
Emotional and psychological injuries, such as anxiety and stress, are also common with laboratory mistakes. If you have suffered these types of injuries, you may be eligible to receive damages for your medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering in a Chicago medical malpractice claim.You can learn more about filing a medical malpractice claim in the wake of a laboratory mistake by visiting our article library. There, we explain how these laboratory errors can occur and what the result of such a mistake can mean for a patient.
Contacting a Chicago Medical Malpractice Attorney
If you have suffered injuries as a result of a laboratory mistake in Chicago, a Chicago medical malpractice attorney can work with you to investigate the details of your case. If it is determined that you have a viable claim, the Chicago injury team at the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. can help you file a medical malpractice claim. Contact us today for a no cost case evaluation – 312-263-1080
