Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyers of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. Call Attention to Issue of Cancer Misdiagnosis
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) September 28, 2013 -- When a doctor waits to tell a patient that they may have cancer, is it caution or negligence? In a new blog article, the Chicago medical malpractice lawyers of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. weigh in on the issue.
According to the article, “Doctors Cautious of Cancer Misdiagnoses,” there is a concern in the medical community today that improved technology has possibly led to over-diagnosing cancer in patients and ordering unneeded treatment.
“However, from our perspective as lawyers who are dedicated to protecting the rights of patients, we simply want to ensure that doctors don’t become too cautious and withhold important, potentially life-saving information from patients,” said attorney Patrick A. Salvi, the firm’s managing equity partner.
“A delayed diagnosis – or, even worse, a diagnosis that is not effectively communicated to a patient – could have devastating consequences,” Salvi said. “This is why we believe this is an important issue to monitor and discuss on our blog.”
Misdiagnoses of cancer and other conditions, Salvi said, is a significant concern to his law firm. He pointed to an August 2012 Johns Hopkins report that found that 40,5000 patients in U.S. hospitals die each year because of a missed diagnosis.
According to that study, missed diagnoses of heart attacks, pulmonary embolism and a certain type of fungal infection, aspergillosis, account for nearly a third of those misdiagnoses.
“The main point is that patients deserve openness and honesty from their care providers,” Salvi said. “Whether it’s cancer or any other serious condition, patients deserve comprehensive testing. They should be fully informed and given the opportunity to make informed decisions.”
About Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.
Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. is a leading Chicago personal injury firm with offices in Chicago (22 West Washington Street, Suite 1600, Chicago IL 60602) and Waukegan (218 North Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60085). In addition to representing clients in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, aviation and product liability cases, the firm focuses on car and truck accidents, airplane and train accidents, construction injuries, birth injuries, brain injuries, unsafe properties and animal attacks. The firm has obtained more than $800 million on behalf of its clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases, including 195 multi-million dollar verdicts or settlements. For more information, call (312) 372-1227 or use the firm’s online contact form.
Michael Wice, Consultwebs.com, Inc., http://www.consultwebs.com, +1 (859) 200-1295, [email protected]
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