In emergencies and with some medical conditions, timely treatment is essential. Unfortunately, delayed treatment is all too common in Chicago hospitals and doctor offices. The dangers of delayed treatment can be manifold and might affect the current and future health of patients to a detrimental extent.
The attorneys of the Disparti Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers, believe that patients should know what leads to delayed treatment, as well as what their legal options are should they be adversely affected by those delays. Don’t hesitate to talk with a medical malpractice lawyer.
Table of Contents:
- Delayed Treatment Causes
- Consequences of Delaying Medical Treatment
- Negligence in Delayed Treatment
- Who is Liable for Delayed Treatment
- Contact a Delayed Treatment Lawyer in Chicago
Delayed Treatment Causes
Hospitals can be very chaotic environments. There are several possible causes of delayed treatment but not all are constituted as malpractice.
Emergency Rooms
Emergency departments are often slammed and have to prioritize injuries that are more critical than others. This process is called triage where patients are assessed and prioritized based on the severity of their condition. The triage process is a common cause of delayed treatment in emergency rooms.
While emergency rooms strive to prioritize patients effectively, oversights can occur, especially when the facility is overwhelmed with a high influx of patients. Incorrectly triaging patients or underestimating the severity of their symptoms can result in delays for those who require urgent attention.
Enhancing triage protocols and providing sufficient staffing and resources are essential to prevent these delays and ensure that patients receive the appropriate level of care promptly. But this is easier said than done and, unfortunately, delayed treatment in emergency rooms poses significant risks to the health and well-being of the patients.
Misdiagnosis/Delayed Diagnosis
Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis are both common causes of delayed treatment. Patients are sent home thinking they are not sick when they are. Or they are puton an emotional rollercoaster as they wait for a diagnosis to finally be made. These types fo delays can occur due to one or more of the following:
- Failure to perform tests
- Failure to adequately analyze tests
- Failure to assess the severity of a situation
- Distracting work environment
- Hospital negligence
These conditions could all cause a serious delay in a patient’s receipt of medical treatment. Sadly, numerous Chicago patients suffer from this type of medical negligence, and many develop additional health complications or worsening conditions as a result. In addition to a slower physical recovery, a significant financial strain can easily accumulate. However, a Chicago medical malpractice attorney may be able to help.
Staffing Shortages
Many hospitals continue to recover from the castrophic loss of staff since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Many doctors and nurses crumbled at the heavy strain the virus put on emergency departments and hospital resources, leading many to walk away to protect their well-being.
Unfortunately, the staffing issues in many hospitals can trickle down to the patients and cause significant delays in treatment. The lack of staff can cause delays in testing, surgeries, and necessities for treatment. Staffing shortages may be difficult for hospitals to avoid and may not always constitute medical malpractice if no one was negligent.
Consequences of Delaying Medical Treatment
Sometimes, no harm comes from delayed treatment. Other times, there can be serious consequences of delaying medical treatment including:
- a more invasive or costly treatment
- the continued spread of a disease
- additional physical or psychological pain
Note that to be considered medical malpractice in Illinois, delayed treatment had to have caused harm to the patient.
One example of how delayed treatment can cause harm is cancer. Many cancers, if treated at an early stage, have a high prognosis of recovery. However, if treatment is put off too long and the cancer progresses to a more advanced stage, the prognosis can significantly decrease.
Negligence in Delayed Treatment
In any medical malpractice lawsuit, you must prove that the defendant’s act or failure to act was negligent. A healthcare provider was negligent if they did not meet the standard of care. To prove this, a delayed treatment lawyer will consult a medical expert witness who can verify if other professionals would have handled your case differently.
If your treatment was delayed but it would not have been in similar scenarios that met the standard of care, it’s likely this will constitute medical malpractice.
Who is Liable for Delayed Treatment?
Any medical professional involved with your care that contributed to the delay in your treatment will be considered liable. This can include:
- doctors
- nurses
- medical technicians
- hospital administrators
- surgeons
It’s best to consult an attorney who is an expert in delayed treatment medical malpractice as they will know whose negligence caused harm. All negligent parties must be named in a medical malpractice claim.
Contact a Delayed Treatment Lawyer in Chicago
If you believe you have a delayed treatment medical malpractice case, contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible. Under Illinois law, the statute of limitations for most medical malpractice claims is within two years of discovering the injury. The sooner you speak to a lawyer about delayed treatment, the sooner they will be able to gather evidence to build your case.
If you or someone you know has been negatively affected by delayed medical treatment, then the Chicago medical malpractice attorneys of Disparti Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers may be able to help you fight for financial compensation.
Contact our offices in Chicago today for a FREE consultation by calling (312) 600-6000 to learn more about your legal options.
