Is a Misdiagnosis Considered Medical Malpractice in Illinois?

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Medical Malpractice

Many people put their trust in healthcare professionals to treat an injury or a specific medical condition. However, mistakes can and do occur, unfortunately. Often considered the most common, most costly, and most dangerous of medical errors, a missed or delayed diagnosis prevents a patient from receiving appropriate medical treatment to prevent his or her ailment from worsening. A misdiagnosis is only considered medical malpractice when a physician acted negligently and took action that another doctor would not have taken given the same circumstances. This can be difficult to prove, but an experienced personal injury attorney can help uncover evidence of this negligence.

Reasons for a Missed Diagnosis or Misdiagnosis

There are several ways that a medical mistake can happen, and although most are unintentional, they can have profound effects on a patient. In some cases, a missed or misdiagnosis can leave someone in worse health than they were before visiting the doctor or hospital. In addition, the timing of it can be critical depending on his or her condition. For example, the timely diagnosis for advanced diseases such as cancer is crucial to provide the necessary treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation, which can stop a malignant tumor from growing or spreading to other body parts.

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Are Child Passengers More Susceptible to Injuries in a Car Accident?

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Car Accidents

A car accident can happen in the blink of an eye, and it can result in life-altering consequences. From vehicle damage to serious injuries, a collision may result in significant expenses. In some cases, a driver may not be the only person in the automobile at the time. He or she may have passengers, some of whom may be other adults or minors under the age of 18. Children who are involved in a car crash can sustain major damage, with some injuries even proving fatal in certain situations. Although Illinois has strict laws on seat belt use and car seat safety, younger occupants may be more likely to get hurt in an auto accident.

Child Occupant Safety

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of death for children in the United States. Sadly, many of these deaths can be prevented. A large percentage of the fatalities occur when a child is not properly restrained in a car seat or with a seat belt. However, injuries can still occur even when passengers are buckled. Airbags can cause bruising and fractures depending on the force of impact when they are deployed. Because children have a smaller body mass than adults, colliding with any object in the vehicle can cause significant injuries. In some situations, children can suffer broken bones or spinal cord damage. Shattered windows can send glass flying, resulting in lacerations and severe blood loss.

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Can I Seek Compensation for a Prescription Drug Error in Illinois?

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Medical Malpractice

Physicians prescribe medication to patients all the time for various reasons. Certain medicines can help alleviate pain and symptoms for injured and sick patients when correctly prescribed and used. They can also heal and cure injuries and illnesses if used properly. However, they also have the potential to cause permanent damage or even death if they are used incorrectly. If you or your loved one has suffered as a result of a prescription drug mistake, you may be entitled to compensation. An experienced personal injury attorney can help determine liability for your damages. Responsible parties may include a doctor, pharmacist, or anesthesiologist.

Common Forms of Medication Mistakes

Unlike over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, prescription medication must be prescribed by a doctor and are usually dispensed by a pharmacist at a hospital or a pharmacy. This is because these types of drugs could be potentially addictive or lethal if not taken properly. Names of some medications may at first glance look or sound similar, which means they can be easily confused with each other. In other cases, ingesting too much or too little of a drug can affect a patient’s health and well-being.

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Biking Safety

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Bicycle Safety

The summer months are quickly approaching, and many people will be outside, enjoying the weather. From walking, to picnics, to swimming, outdoor activities are more common in the warmer months. One activity in particular is one that requires you to take safety precautions and be aware of your surroundings – biking. It is important to be safe and prepared on a bicycle. There are safe ways that you can make a biking experience safe and fun for you and your family this summer. There are many safety gadgets you  can buy for both yourself and your bike. First, a certified helmet is important to protect your head from severe injury in the case of an accident. There is other protective gear  you can wear, such as elbow and knee pads. It is important to dress appropriately while biking. Proper shoes that cover your toes, and clothing that does not get caught up in the bicycle as you ride are important. There are also bike accessories so that other people can see and hear you while you're riding.

• Reflectors that can be seen about 500 feet away on the front of the bike

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Motorcycle Safety in Illinois

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Car Accidents

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Dangerous Habits of Drivers

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Car Accidents

Driving a car is very dangerous activity.  For example, in Illinois during the first six months of 2012 there was a 17 percent increase in car-related fatalities compared to the previous year. Most accidents can be linked to certain dangerous driving behaviors which may not be illegal.  Being aware of the how your habits can cause accidents may help you avoid injury or death.

Speeding

Though drunk driving is the leading cause of traffic deaths, the second leading cause is speeding.  This is because it creates less time to react to other drivers on the road.  It can also require more erratic driving like lane changes or other dangerous decisions to avoid traffic.

Driving Tired

Operating a motor vehicle while being tired is a common occurrence for young men, shift workers, and people with sleep disorders.  The tendency is to push the envelope to sleep at the destination but sometimes that doesn't occur.  Falling asleep while driving is very dangerous because it doesn't allow the operator to react to an impending accident.

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DUI for Bus Driver Inspires New Legislation

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Uncategorized

Richard Madison, 54, of Palos Hills “was pulled over by authorities after driving [under the influence] nearly two dozen students to a prom site for Oswego East High School,” according to the Chicago Tribune. The incident has led to a proposal in the Illinois state legislature to toughen punishment for DUI. “Under the measure,” according to the Tribune, “drivers could be charged with a felony for driving under the influence and carrying one or more passengers of any age while on duty as a driver.” As it currently stands, the state law only cites bus drivers with an aggravated DUI if the passengers are under 18.

According to the Tribune, aggravated DUI is a Class 4 felony, “punishable by up to three years in prison.” Any random drunk driving charge can carry a sentence of up to a year in jail, but House Republican leader Tom Cross told the Tribune that that punishment wasn’t strong enough for someone who was hired to safely deliver children, and who was putting those kids at risk.

This area of Chicago is no stranger to teen tragedy—in 2007, an alcohol-related car crash killed five teenagers who would have graduated form the same high school these prom-goers attend. The introduction of Cross’s measure, according to the Tribune, “came on the same day the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington called on authorities to reduce the legal limit to 0.05 percent from the 0.08 standard used in all 50 states.” 

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FBI reports Chicago Hospital involved in Scam

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in negligence

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Teen Killed in Distracted Driving Crash

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Car Accidents

A 15-year-old girl was killed in a Minooka accident in mid-April, and her classmate was left in serious condition, according to the Chicago Tribune. Police are saying that the “tragic incident” was caused by distracted driving, while alcohol and drug use have been ruled out. Elizabeth Daniels, 15, was pronounced dead at St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. She was a backseat passenger in an Infiniti G20 “being driven by 17-year-old Patrick O’Connell,” according to Minooka Police Chief Justin Meyer and as reported in the Tribune. The Infiniti, according to police reports, was “northbound on McLinden Road and its driver disobeyed a stop sign at Route 6.” A Honda Civic, driven by a 26-year-old Minooka woman, T-boned the driver’s side of the Infiniti, “which had two other 15-year-old girl passengers.” The teen seated in the back with Daniels was airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood and remains in serious condition after suffering head trauma.  

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Determining Liability in Personal Injury Cases

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Car Accidents

In any kind of accident, ranging from car accidents to even medical malpractice, one person will be considered at fault or at least more at fault.  For some car accidents, the police will assign fault to one party by issuing a ticket.  Sometimes it’s not that easy to find out who is the negligent party in an accident.

A good first place to start in determining liability is by wondering if one person exercised less care than the other, which may have caused the accident.  There are also three other stipulations that may help determine responsibility in a personal injury case.

The first is whether one person was not where they should be.  It might also be the case that this person should have expected a certain danger given their location.  It can be difficult to clearly define blame if either of these things is true.

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