Medical malpractice has reached another level this week with reports coming from a Chicago hospital regarding a pulmonologist who allegedly performed unnecessary tracheotomies—procedures to open air passages in the windpipe—according to the Chicago Tribune.

The owner, chief financial officer and five physicians of Chicago’s Sacred Heart Hospital are charged with Medicare fraud. The issues is in regards to performing surgeries that were not needed in order justify false billing. Patients were allegedly kept too sedated to breathe and then physicians ordered unneeded tracheotomies so they could acquire as much as $160,000 per case.

An unnamed surgeon at Sacred Heart performed tracheotomies on 28 Medicare patients between 2010 and this past January, according to the affidavit. Five of those patients died within two weeks.

This particular incident raises serious concerns regarding medical malpractice and fraudulent cases. Not only are some physicians disregarding their responsibilities, but they could be doing so for financial benefits as well.

The Need for a Second Opinion

You may have a trusted doctor that you prefer and have gone to for years, but even your most trusted doctor can make a mistake from time to time. Although they probably aren’t involved in fraudulent business, they may misdiagnose you or a loved one, resulting in complications that you did no expect.

Most doctors are intelligent to know that second opinions are not only smart but needed, so your trusted doctor may refer you to a specialist or another doctor for another opinion. Do not disregard a second opinion because it could save you money, a legal battle and even your life.

Don’t Wait Till It’s Too Late

If you believe you’ve been the victim of medical malpractice or someone you know has, do not hesitate to speak with a lawyer concerning the issue. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer will work swiftly to recover any time they have and work hard to keep additional issues from occurring.

In a medical malpractice case, you need a reputable lawyer to help you seek the justice you deserve and the compensation you need to recover. Also, lawyers can help initiate investigations that might need to occur if a physician is irresponsible in their practice.

Again, acting immediately could be the difference in life and death in a medical malpractice case. Medical malpractice lawyers can help you and will represent you in such a devastating situation.