When you visit the hospital, doctor, or any healthcare provider, you expect to receive quality, professional treatment. Unfortunately, far too often, this does not happen. Some medical mistakes do not result in harm to the patient; however, many medical errors lead to serious and/or permanent injuries or even death.
At Drake & Collopy, P.C., our legal team is dedicated to helping our clients recover the compensation they deserve after experiencing medical malpractice. We understand that medical malpractice can cause substantial pain and suffer for victims and their families.
It can also lead to significant financial burdens. Our goal is to provide competent and aggressive representation to hold those responsible accountable, to allow our clients to recover compensation, and to help clients move beyond the challenges caused by the medical mistake they experienced. The first step is to get in touch with us to discuss your situation.
What You May Not Know About Medical Malpractice in Chicago
The statistics on medical malpractice are staggering. Medical malpractice is now the third leading cause of death in the country. Each year, over 400,000 people die because of medical errors in the United States. Around 80,000 to 100,000 people die because of misdiagnoses alone, with another 195,000 passing away because of preventable mistakes. A substantial additional number are seriously injured. In fact, one out of every three people will experience some type of medical error during a medical visit; however, most are not even aware of it.
Unfortunately, many hospitals, doctors, and other healthcare professionals who are guilty of medical errors are often unwilling to come forward and admit their faults voluntarily. Many times medical errors are even covered up. While it can be intimidating and challenging to face these types of legal situations, our team is here to help to ensure the medical practitioners who committed the malpractice are held accountable.
Why Is Chicago Medical Malpractice Such a Prevalent Problem?
Health care is extremely complex. Hospitals and other medical facilities are chronically understaffed, and medical professionals are stretched thin, sometimes to their breaking point. The complexity of health care combined with the pressures placed on medical professionals leaves a lot of room for mistakes. Although they may be stressed, sleep-deprived, and overworked, there is still no excuse for medical malpractice to occur.
Our legal team is dedicated to representing clients who have been injured by careless healthcare providers – hospitals, doctors, nurses, dentists, chiropractors, psychiatrists, and other medical professionals.
Cases of medical malpractice can arise from things like:
- Doctors deviating from medical standards
- Reduced staffing and overworked medical professionals
- Neglect and/or failure to properly monitor
- Failure to hire or train skilled medical workers
- Failing to follow laws or medical guidelines
While doctors and hospitals are not typically motivated to reveal medical errors that occur, Drake & Collopy, P.C., will work to discover the truth. Our team is dedicated to holding hospitals and medical professionals accountable for medical malpractice.
What Is Considered Medical Malpractice in Illinois?
Medical malpractice is any act or omission by a medical professional that deviates from the standard of care and causes the patient harm. While it is often difficult to know whether the standard of care was violated in a given situation, we employ medical experts who can review the facts and medical records to make that determination in each case.
Some of the types of medical malpractice cases include:
- Misdiagnosis
- Delayed diagnosis
- Lack of informed consent
- Misread ultrasounds, X-rays, or other diagnostics
- Healthcare provider errors
- Medical device errors
- Birth injuries
- Dental Malpractice
How Can You Prove Medical Malpractice in Illinois?
To establish medical malpractice under the law, it is necessary to prove five things:
- A doctor-patient relationship existed
- A duty of care was owed to the patient by the doctor or healthcare provider
- The duty of care was breached
- The breach of duty proximately caused the patient’s injuries
- Damages resulted from the breach (i.e., financial, physical)
Our team will work to establish all of the elements required to succeed in a medical malpractice case.
Timing Considerations When Filing a Chicago Medical Malpractice Claim
There are strict deadlines that limit the amount of time to file medical malpractice claims. In Illinois, the statute of limitations requires a patient to file a medical malpractice lawsuit within two years of the date of discovery. The date of discovery is the date the patient discovers or should have discovered, his injuries or the date the patient discovers or should have discovered, that the injuries were the result of medical malpractice.
In addition to the two-year statute of limitations, Illinois law prevents a patient from filing a claim more than four years from the date of the medical treatment that caused the injuries, regardless of the discovery date. There certain are exceptions to the statute of limitations, however. If you suspect that you have been the victim of medical malpractice, contact us as soon as possible to preserve your legal rights.
Contact our Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorneys
If you believe you have a medical malpractice claim, our experienced attorneys are ready to help. Our legal team serves victims in the Chicago area and throughout Illinois. Contact us without delay so we can investigate your case and, if we determine the case has merit, get to work right away to help you recover the full compensation you are entitled to. You can count on our experienced legal team to fight aggressively on your behalf.
