CHICAGO, IL – When you’re in the emergency room, you trust that you’ll receive prompt and competent treatment by medical professionals. However, errors occur and they can lead to catastrophic consequences. Understanding common medical malpractice issues that happen in emergency rooms is important for patients.
Misdiagnosis
This is a typical error that happens in emergency rooms. This occurs when a healthcare provider fails to accurately identify a patient’s condition. Misdiagnosis can lead to delayed or incorrect treatment, harming the patient’s condition and potentially causing long-term pain.
Failure to order important tests
In some cases, emergency room healthcare providers may neglect to order important tests to properly evaluate a patient’s condition. Without these tests, it can be challenging to make an accurate diagnosis and develop an appropriate treatment plan. Failure to order these tests can result in a missed diagnosis and poor treatment.
Medication errors
Medication errors can include administering the wrong medication, giving incorrect dosages or failing to consider potential drug interactions. Medication errors can have severe consequences ranging from serious allergic reactions to adverse drug effects.
Delayed treatment
Emergency room overcrowding can lead to delays in treatment. When patients do not receive timely care, their conditions may gradually get worse, leading to further complications. Healthcare providers have a duty to prioritize patients based on the severity of their condition and provide prompt treatment accordingly.
Communication failures
Effective communication among healthcare providers is important in emergency room settings. Errors can occur when information isn’t properly communicated between physicians, nurses and other staff members. Communication can lead to misunderstandings, delays in treatment and patient harm.
Contact a medical malpractice attorney in Chicago, Illinois
While emergency rooms typically provide rapid and life-saving care, medical malpractice errors still happen all the time. If you or your loved one received the wrong diagnosis in the emergency room, contact the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. Fill out this form or call (312) 384-1920 for an initial consultation.
