Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Every day, numerous people across Chicago seek medical advice from doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. Patients undergo surgery, receive medications, and depend on medical devices to treat ailments, injuries, and illnesses they deal with. Individuals seek advice from medical professionals due to their experience and extensive education in the medical field. We want to believe that doctors and other medical professionals have our best interests in mind. Unfortunately, there are numerous cases where patients do not receive the best medical treatment they need and deserve. Instead, they are subjected to surgical errors, medical mistakes, and other acts of negligence. When patients receive negligent and careless medical treatment, they can suffer life-altering consequences. In some cases, victims incur worsening symptoms and injuries that impact their lives in negative ways.

Patients who are forced to endure the overwhelming pain and suffering of medical malpractice are often forced to spend extended time off work in order to properly recover. There are many instances where victims are forced off work indefinitely due to permanent disabilities from these unfortunate circumstances. Not only are victims forced to endure the consequences of these traumatic incidents, but their families often face stacking financial devastation as well. When patients are harmed as a result of medical negligence or the careless actions of a nurse, doctor, or another medical professional, it is imperative that they reach out to a medical malpractice attorney in Chicago as soon as possible to explore legal options available to them. Those harmed may be entitled to compensation to help offset some of the financial burdens they face from medical expenses and lost wages.

The Chicago medical malpractice attorneys at The Malpractice Group have extensive experience helping victims receive the justice they deserve after being harmed by medical malpractice. Our attorneys advocate on behalf of victims to ensure their legal rights are protected after being harmed by negligent medical professionals. Our legal team firmly believes that negligent and reckless medical professionals should be held liable for their actions. Not only are we dedicated to helping victims maximize their recoveries after being harmed by malpractice, but we are dedicated to preventing others from being subjected to the same treatment from reckless professionals. After meeting with clients for their initial consultation, we begin investigating. We gather evidence in support of the victim, uncover any records of malpractice by the medical professional, and put together solid claims on behalf of those harmed to ensure they obtain the outcome they expect for their claims. Our team aggressively negotiates settlements to ensure victims are able to get the maximum amount of compensation attainable for medical treatment as well as pain and suffering. Contact our medical malpractice lawyers in Chicago to see how our team can help you.

When it comes to determining whether a patient was subjected to medical malpractice, it is crucial to understand the standard of care. In the practice of medicine, the standard of care is set to define a reasonable level of medical treatment a patient receives. This standard takes into consideration what type of medical care a professional or organization would provide for a patient under similar circumstances. When medical professionals deviate from the acceptable standard of care, it can have a life-altering impact on victims. When patients are injured as a result of medical malpractice, they may be able to obtain compensation to help alleviate the financial burdens they face. Some of the types of medical malpractice claims our Chicago medical malpractice attorneys help victims with include those involving:

Birth injuries: When doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals do not follow the proper standard of care while treating patients during pregnancy and the birthing process, it can lead to birth injuries. Numerous babies born in Chicago suffer brain injuries and other birth injuries that require long-term medical treatment.

Diagnostic Errors: When patients are not accurately and timely diagnosed, they can suffer significantly. Victims who do not receive treatment for their illness, those diagnosed with the wrong conditions, and those who have their illnesses overlooked entirely can suffer serious and sometimes fatal consequences.

Treatment, Medication, and Monitoring Errors: Receiving the wrong type of medication or treatment can have an impact on a patient’s ability to recover from their illness or injuries. Patients who are given the wrong medication may suffer worsening symptoms. Those who are not accurately treated or monitored can experience life-threatening consequences. 

Informed Consent: There are many instances where patients consent to a specific treatment. After giving consent, they undergo surgery and wake up to find a completely different procedure was performed. Not only are victims forced to deal with pain and suffering from the wrong surgery, but they have to go through a prolonged recovery period due to needing the original surgery as well.

Anesthesia Malpractice: Patients who are given too much anesthesia can suffer fatal consequences. An overdose of anesthesia can have a life-threatening impact on a victim’s life or leave them with other serious injuries. Conversely, those administered too little anesthesia can wake up during their procedure and suffer mental and physical anguish.

Hospital Malpractice: Every day, patients seek medical treatment in emergency rooms across Chicago. When patients are not accurately and timely diagnosed, they can suffer devastating consequences. Not receiving the appropriate treatment in emergency situations can result in permanent disabilities.

Post-Operative Infections: When patients go through surgery and other treatments, they often have stitches and staples that need to be cared for. It is crucial that they receive adequate wound care after surgery to ensure they heal correctly. There are instances where nurses and other medical professionals do not provide adequate care, and massive infections occur.

Surgical Errors: Medical providers routinely leave gauze and surgical instruments inside patients while performing surgery. In some cases, this can lead to massive infections that can be life-threatening. These patients also have to go through additional surgeries to have the items removed.

When patients are injured, a Chicago medical negligence lawyer can review their records to determine whether they suffered as a result of medical negligence. When victims suffer ailments, disabilities, and illnesses, it is imperative to determine what the cause of their injuries was. In addition to reviewing medical records for patients, our negligence attorneys will take depositions from the doctors, physicians, and nurses, as well as other medical professionals involved. 

In many cases, attorneys will seek assistance from forensic specialists and other professionals who can review medical records to uncover any evidence of malpractice and other negligent behaviors. In most cases, our attorneys seek expert testimony from other doctors and medical professionals to help show what truly went wrong with your care.

If you were injured while undergoing medical treatment, and you believe your injuries were caused by negligence, it is imperative that you seek immediate legal assistance. You may be entitled to compensation and justice for your injuries and damages.

Every year, more than 28,000 newborns suffer birth injuries across the United States. For this reason, our country ranks number one in infant mortalities and third in postneonatal mortalities. Some of the most common conditions resulting from birth injuries our attorneys in Chicago help families with include:

Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL): PVL is an injury that occurs when there is damage to the white matter surrounding the ventricles of the brain. This condition is typically caused by oxygen deprivation, which occurs at birth. In other cases, brain bleeds and infections transmitted during birth can cause these injuries.

Intracranial Hemorrhages: Brain bleeds are injuries caused by trauma at birth and oxygen deprivation. In numerous cases, medical negligence causes these injuries. This is particularly true in cases where doctors do not correctly use forceps, vacuum extractors, and other tools during the birthing process.

Infections: Mothers can transmit sepsis and meningitis to babies during birth. In some cases, these and other infections can be life-threatening and have a detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of babies.

Jaundice/Kernicterus: Jaundice is one of the most common conditions babies are born with. It is imperative that this condition is treated timely and appropriately, or it can develop into kernicterus. When babies develop kernicterus, they can suffer brain damage that results in permanent disabilities.

Developmental Delays: Newborns who suffer birth injuries, like spinal cord injuries, Erb’s palsy, and cerebral palsy, it can have a detrimental impact on their mental and physical development.

Seizures: Babies who sustain traumatic head injuries or oxygen deprivation at birth can develop devastating seizure disorders. These disorders can be overwhelmingly painful and lead to further brain damages.

Cerebral Palsy (CP): This neurological condition is caused by a deprivation of oxygen to the baby’s brain. This birth injury can be extremely devastating as it often requires extensive medical treatment. In many cases, babies are left permanently disabled and have problems with motor skills, muscle tone, and movement.

Birth Asphyxia/Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE): Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is caused by oxygen deprivation to the brain of the baby. When the brain does not receive an adequate supply of oxygen due to a birth injury or trauma, it can result in seizure disorders and developmental delays. 

The majority of birth injuries are caused by negligence on behalf of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. These injuries can occur at any time and have life-altering consequences. Some of the examples of medical errors that lead to birth injuries we see in Chicago include:

• Failure to monitor for signs of fetal distress.
• Failure to respond to signs of fetal distress.
• Misuse of Pitocin or Cytotec. 
• Not using forceps or vacuum extractors appropriately. 
• Mismanagement of problems surrounding the uterus, placenta, umbilical cord. 
• Not responding appropriately to abnormal fetal presentations.
• Not taking adequate precautions in high-risk pregnancies.
• Failure to properly treat a newborn who has already suffered a birth injury.

If your baby sustained a birth injury, and you believe it was caused by medical malpractice, contact a qualified medical malpractice attorney in Chicago as soon as possible. Victims and their families may be able to obtain compensation to help alleviate the costs of medical treatment and other long-term damages.

In Chicago, victims have up to two years to file legal claims surrounding medical malpractice. In nearly all cases, victims benefit immensely by filing their claims as soon as possible. This can help to preserve evidence and place victims in a better position to get the justice they deserve. Waiting to file a claim can result in the loss of records, which can have a detrimental impact on a case. Aside from filing within the provided statute of limitations, victims can benefit greatly by working with a Chicago medical malpractice lawyer. These cases are often extremely complex, which is why it is imperative to work with a legal team for your claim. Lawyers are often aware of what courts are looking for, which places victims in the best position to prove their case and collect compensation.

Anytime a personal injury claim is filed for medical malpractice, plaintiffs must be able to prove that the elements of negligence existed. The burden of proof must accurately demonstrate the following criteria:

A Doctor-Patient Relationship Existed: The patient must be able to prove that they received medical treatment from the defendant. Proving that a doctor-patient relationship existed is imperative as victims are only able to collect when they can prove that the doctor has fully cared for them and treated them as a patient. 

Negligence Occurred: The patient must show that the medical professional failed to provide care that was adequate. Although different medical professionals have varying opinions on how to treat patients, it is imperative, under any circumstance, that they continue to adhere to the acceptable standard of care. The second element of proof must clearly and concisely demonstrate that the medical professional engaged in some type of negligence while caring for the plaintiff. The degree of negligence is commonly determined by comparing the defendant’s actions to actions that another provider would have performed under similar conditions. 

Negligence Caused the Injuries: After proving that negligence occurred, the plaintiff must further prove that negligent actions directly caused injuries. The victim must be able to show that the nurses, doctors, or other medical professional’s actions caused their injuries, illnesses, or ailments to worsen or develop.

The Injury Caused Damages: Patients must be able to prove that the injuries they sustained caused them damages. In many cases, victims are left with overwhelming mental, physical, and financial damages due to these incidents. 

Victims of medical malpractice are often forced to spend thousands of dollars on medical treatment, spend extensive time off work, and deal with overwhelming mental and physical pain and suffering. For this reason, it is imperative for victims of medical malpractice to get the justice and compensation they need and deserve.

After consulting with malpractice attorneys in Chicago, victims may wonder how much their legal claim is worth. There are various factors taken into consideration when determining the recoverable damages for a victim.

In many cases, victims can collect compensation for various costs resulting from their experience. The team at The Malpractice Group is dedicated to helping victims collect full and fair compensation for:

• The costs of medical treatment
• The costs of long-term care facilities and therapy
• The costs of medication and medical devices
• Lost wages for doctor appointments
• Lost earnings for victims forced out of work indefinitely due to their injuries
• Disfigurements 
• Household services
• Permanent disabilities
• Special damages

It is imperative to take into consideration whether or not the state in which you incurred your injuries has a cap on recoverable damages. In Illinois, victims can collect up to $500,000 for non-economic damages resulting from their medical malpractice case if it is filed against a doctor. When cases are filed against hospitals or other healthcare facilities, these caps are set at $1 million. Non-economic damages include: 

• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of society and companionship
• Loss of enjoyment of life

If you were injured as a result of a negligent or reckless medical professional, contact The Malpractice Group as soon as possible. Our attorneys provide legal representation to ensure those harmed get the maximum amount of compensation they deserve.

Being injured as a result of a medical professional’s reckless or negligent actions can be life-changing. Not only are victims forced to endure the physical and emotional consequences, but the mental trauma is often overwhelming. To add insult to injury, victims are frequently left with thousands of dollars in medical expenses, lost wages, and permanent impairments. It is crucial that victims harmed as a result of medical negligence recover an appropriate amount of compensation for their injuries. The attorneys at The Malpractice Group of Wais Vogelstein Forman & Offutt strive to provide effective and trustworthy legal representation to injured patients throughout Chicago. 

If you, your child, or a loved one, was injured as a result of a medical mistake, it is imperative that you reach out to our team as soon as possible. Schedule a free case consultation at your earliest convenience to review legal options available. It may not always be clear that medical negligence was the cause of a person’s injuries. Medical providers will nearly always deny that any wrongdoing occurred while they treated you. For this reason, it is imperative that you reach out to a qualified legal team to review your case and unveil the truth.

Many victims do not seek legal representation until it is too late. Waiting too long can jeopardize a victim’s ability to recover compensation. For this reason, it is imperative to seek immediate legal guidance to ensure your rights and best interests are protected. Our qualified Chicago malpractice attorneys at The Malpractice Group provide in-depth evaluations to ensure the truth is revealed. Contact our law firm today to explore legal options available for you.

When patients are injured as a result of a medical professional’s reckless or negligent actions, they are often forced to endure extensive medical treatment while dealing with overwhelming pain and suffering. Victims are often forced out of work to deal with worsened or new injuries, illnesses, and ailments. Medical malpractice incidents often force victims out of work indefinitely to deal with permanent disabilities. When victims are harmed by negligent and reckless medical professionals, it is imperative that they reach out to a Chicago medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible to seek justice and compensation for their injuries and damages. 

The Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyers from The Malpractice Group of Wais Vogelstein Forman & Offutt are dedicated to helping injured patients collect the maximum amount of compensation available after being harmed by negligent medical professionals. Our team of attorneys in Chicago understands the difficulties victims face as they move forward from these incidents. Whether an adult is injured by medical negligence or parents are trying to help their newborns recover from birth injuries, the mental, physical, and financial challenges are often unbearable. For this reason, we provide aggressive legal representation to ensure those harmed are in the best position possible to move forward. Contact our law firm in Chicago today at (312) 561-4324 to meet with our team and discuss legal options available for you.

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