Personal Injury Law

Eight Babies Killed After Doctors Fail to Diagnose Problem

By Steven M. Levin and John J. Perconti

This week United Press International discussed a troubling report from some state health officials indicating that more than half a dozen young babies died in that state in the last year alone because of one particular type of medical mistake.

In a letter sent to doctors, clinics, and hospitals, a state Department of Health official indicated that eight young children under the age of six months had died the previous year because of medical professionals who failed to diagnose them with whooping cough in time for proper lifesaving treatment.

The health official explained, ?In several cases, the infants were treated only for nasal congestion or mild upper respiratory infection. By the time these infants develop severe respiratory distress, it was usually too late for any intervention to prevent their tragic deaths.?

Time is of vital importance in many medical situations. That is why it is especially critical for all medical professionals not to waste any time that could be used to treat fast growing medical problems in their patients.

All medical errors are tragic, but there is something particularly painful about mistakes that take the lives of the youngest, most fragile members of our society. Our Chicago medical malpractice attorneys at Levin & Perconti have won many verdicts and settlements on behalf of families that have lost young children. Over the years we have represented several victims in multi-million dollars decisions after losing children because of problems during childbirth. In addition, we won a $2.25 million settlement for the family of a five year old boy who died as a result of the doctor?s failure to diagnose an infection following a bone marrow transplant.

Doctors maintain a duty to provide reasonable care whenever they examine a patient. That care includes proper diagnosis of potentially life-threatening medical problems. If you believe that your doctor may have failed to catch a medical issue promptly, please contact a medical malpractice lawyer to learn about your rights.

Full post as published by Illinois Medical Malpractice Blog on September 09, 2010 (boomark / email).