Common Emergency Room Mistakes That Lead to Medical Malpractice Claims

 Posted on December 08, 2025 in Medical Malpractice

Emergency rooms are high-stress, busy places. Doctors and nurses often have to make quick decisions. Unfortunately, they do not always make the right ones. Even a small mistake can lead to serious problems for a patient.

If you believe you were hurt because of poor care in an emergency room, the Arlington Heights, IL medical malpractice lawyers at Newland & Newland, LLP can help. Medical malpractice claims are often challenging. We can walk you through the evidence needed to establish a strong claim for compensation.

What Are the Most Common Emergency Room Mistakes?

Emergency room workers handle many patients at once. Even skilled medical professionals can make errors when things move too fast. Some mistakes that can result in a medical malpractice claim include:

• Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis: A serious illness, such as a heart attack, stroke, or infection, might be mistaken for something minor. This can cause a delay that could make the condition worse.

• Medication errors: Giving the wrong medicine or the wrong dose can harm a patient or cause dangerous side effects.

• Failure to order tests: Skipping blood work, X-rays, or scans can keep doctors from finding the real cause of an illness.

• Poor communication: When nurses and doctors do not share information clearly, details can be lost or misunderstood.

• Premature discharge: Sending a patient home before fully confirming they are ready can cause new or worse symptoms.

These problems often happen because of short staffing, faulty equipment, or simple confusion during emergencies.

When Does an Emergency Room Mistake Become Negligence?

Not every unfortunate experience is medical malpractice. Sometimes doctors do everything right, but the results are not there. It is not negligence until a medical provider does not use the level of care that another skilled provider would have used in the same situation.

Statute 735 ILCS 5/2-622 permits you to file a malpractice claim in Illinois. However, you have to include a written statement from a medical expert and provide sufficient evidence to prove negligence. The statement must say that there is a reasonable cause to believe that negligence occurred.

How Do You Get Compensation for Emergency Room Negligence in Illinois?

Medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering are all potentially recoverable if you can prove negligence. To do this, you have to successfully prove that the four elements of negligence are present in your case.

Provider Duty of Care

Doctors, nurses, and hospitals have a duty to give reasonable care to their patients. This means they must use proper skill, judgment, and attention. This duty-of-care element naturally exists in a doctor-patient relationship.

Breached Duty of Care

A breach happens when a medical worker fails to follow accepted medical standards. For example, if a doctor misses clear signs of a heart problem or gives the wrong medication, that could qualify as a breach of their duty of care.

Resulting Harm

You have to show that the provider’s mistake directly caused your injury. For example, if you had a condition that was made worse because the doctor missed a test or failed to diagnose you, expert opinions and medical records could prove that the doctor’s actions caused you harm.

Damages

Damages are the real losses that come from the mistake. These are the medical costs, lost income, and lasting pain that you can recover from a malpractice claim.

Contact Us for a Free Consultation With a Schaumburg, IL Emergency Room Error Attorney

If you or someone you care about was hurt by an emergency room mistake, you need experienced legal representation. At Newland & Newland, LLP, we care deeply about our clients and communities. Together, our lawyers have many decades of experience and have recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for people across Illinois.

Call 847-797-8000 today to schedule a free consultation with our Arlington Heights, IL medical malpractice lawyers. We can provide services in English, Spanish, and Cantonese.