Reasons for Laboratory Mistakes

Medicine-even the aspects involving medical testing-is not an exact science. Human error and oversight can lead to laboratory mistakes that result in inaccuracies in medical testing. When you undergo any form of medical testing, you should not have to worry about the competency of the medical professionals in charge. Instead, you expect them to possess the necessary expertise to handle your medical sample with the best care possible.

Patients from all across the country are subject to pathology-related testing and radiology testing, in which biopsies, blood samples and scans are examined in a medical lab. Unfortunately, there is always a small chance that the lab result might come back flawed as the result of a laboratory mistake. This could in turn leave you and your physician in the dark about your true health status.

Some of the most common causes of laboratory mistakes include: 

• problems with the specimen (incorrectly drawn);
• incorrect cells extracted in biopsy;
• patients' sample not labeled properly resulting in a mix-up;
• mishandled specimen, blood samples, etc;
• identification errors, such as incorrect computer inputs; and
• misinterpreted results. 

After a medical test has been administered and a specimen is collected, that specimen passes through various channels before it gets back to the physician. This can easily lead to diagnosis that result in unnecessary surgeries or medical treatments as well as a failure to properly treat the actual medical issue the victim is suffering home. Either mistake can lead to permanent or fatal consequences.

You can learn more about laboratory mistakes by visiting our article library. There, we explain how these errors can occur and what the result of such a mistake can mean for a patient. 

Contacting a Chicago Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you have suffered injuries as a result of a laboratory mistake in Chicago, a Chicago medical malpractice attorney can work with you to investigate the details of your case. If it is determined that you have a viable claim, the Chicago injury team at the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. can help you file a medical malpractice claim. Contact us today for a no cost case evaluation - 312-263-1080