Misdiagnosis and Missed Diagnosis Malpractice Lawyers in Arlington Heights

Cook County Lawyers for Patients Injured by Negligent Diagnostic Procedures

When an illness such as cancer or heart disease or a medical event like a stroke is misdiagnosed, the patient could face serious and life-threatening consequences. If this has happened to you or a member of your family, you may be able to obtain significant compensation through a medical malpractice claim.

At Newland & Newland, LLP, our lawyers have more than 60 years of combined legal experience, and we have been serving injured patients and their families for nearly three decades. We understand the damage that a missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis can cause, and we are equipped to help take appropriate action.

How Does a Missed Diagnosis or Misdiagnosis Happen?

Diagnosing a patient's medical condition can be challenging for any doctor. There are tens of thousands of recognized diseases and infections, many of which share similar symptoms. Licensed physicians attend many years of schooling and participate in supervised clinical training to help them develop the skills necessary to diagnose and treat complicated conditions.

The attorneys at Newland & Newland, LLP do not expect doctors to be perfect, and we know even the best physicians make mistakes when diagnosing a patient. Not all such mistakes, however, are due to negligence or carelessness. Your symptoms, family history, and other contributing factors could reasonably lead a doctor to a diagnosis that ultimately proves to be incorrect. If another doctor with similar training and experience in the same medical specialty would likely have reached the same diagnosis in a similar amount of time, your physician may not be considered negligent, despite being wrong about the diagnosis. However, if your doctor did not adhere to current applicable medical standards in diagnosing your condition, a misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis could be considered malpractice.

Palatine Counsel for Injuries Caused by Misdiagnosis

A misdiagnosis or a missed diagnosis can have serious consequences for the patient and his or her family. An incorrect diagnosis could result in:

• Unnecessary treatment, including medications;
• Overly aggressive treatments or powerful drugs;
• Treatments designed to treat a different condition; or
• No treatment whatsoever, which allows the condition to progress.

In many cases, treating the wrong condition can have a dramatic effect on the patient's life. For example, a patient who is incorrectly diagnosed with cancer may begin chemotherapy or radiation treatments, both of which can have serious side effects. A misdiagnosis could also lead to unnecessary surgical procedures, leaving a patient scarred or disfigured for no good reason.

Perhaps more importantly for many patients, a misdiagnosis also means that the real problem may be left untreated. This could allow the problem to continue to worsen, sometimes to the point where it can no longer be cured. In the most serious cases, a missed diagnosis could have fatal results.

Protecting Your Rights in Northern Illinois

At Newland & Newland, LLP, we work with a vast network of experts, including board-certified physician specialists, whose input is often crucial in building a case for negligent misdiagnosis. We will work hard to show that your doctor failed to provide the necessary standard of care and that you suffered harm as a result. Our team is committed to helping you get the compensation you deserve, either through a settlement or litigation.

To learn more about how we can help you recover damages for a missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis, contact our office. Call 847-797-8000 for a free phone consultation at any of our five locations. Our firm serves clients in Arlington Heights, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, Mount Prospect, Buffalo Grove, Palatine, Long Grove, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Wheeling, DuPage County, Lake County, Cook County, and throughout Northern Illinois.