Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Doctors make mistakes. Because medical errors are potentially so much more serious than other kinds of mistakes, doctors and other medical professionals are held to a higher standard in the performance of their duties. When these standards are violated through negligence or incompetence, the injured victims and their families have the right to recover compensation for the damage caused. Unfortunately, doctors and hospitals are frequently reluctant to admit their mistakes, and they may even try to hide them or cover them up.
Finding out whether a serious consequence resulted from medical negligence or not can be difficult to determine, and medical malpractice cases are some of the most complex and vigorously litigated cases. Our skilled medical malpractice attorneys at D&W Law Group understand what it takes to develop and present a strong case when malpractice has occurred. Call us for a free consultation if you believe you were harmed by a doctor’s negligence or mistake.
Types of Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice can occur due to many different types of medical negligence, errors or mistakes. Some of the most common forms of medical malpractice include:
- Surgical errors
- Failure to diagnose urgent medical conditions
- Misdiagnosis
- Birth injuries
- Medication errors
- Anesthesia errors
- Failure to obtain informed consent
- Continuing an ineffective treatment
Medical Malpractice Differs from Other Types of Personal Injury
Many personal injury cases require us to enlist the aid of experts and professionals in preparing your case. In a medical malpractice case, consulting with experts is required by law. When filing a medical malpractice lawsuit in Illinois, your court papers must include an “affidavit of merit,” meaning that your case has been reviewed by a qualified medical professional who has practiced or taught in the same field related to your case, and this doctor affirms there is reasonable cause to believe malpractice may have occurred. Our attorneys will gather your medical records and have them reviewed by specialists who can help us determine if you have a case.
Like other personal injury cases, medical malpractice cases have a two-year statute of limitations period. This means that you have up to two years from the date of the malpractice to file a lawsuit. Medical malpractice cases have a special rule, however, that extends this limitations period to two years from the date where you knew or should have known about the malpractice. This is because you may not always immediately know that malpractice occurred. For instance, if a surgeon left foreign objects such as sponges or clamps inside your body after surgery, you may not find out until the object causes some medical problem down the road. Likewise, if a doctor missed a critical cancer diagnosis, you may not become aware until the cancer is later discovered. Therefore, medical malpractice victims may have additional time to file a lawsuit, up to four years from the date of the malpractice. Contact our experienced medical malpractice attorneys as soon as you believe you may be the victim of a medical mistake, so we can make sure important deadlines are not missed.
Call Our Chicago Injury Lawyers if You Suspect Medical Malpractice
If you believe that a doctor’s medical error or a hospital’s negligence may have caused you harm, call D&W Law Group to discuss your situation with a team of knowledgeable and experienced Chicago medical malpractice attorneys. Your initial consultation is free, and if we accept your case, we advance all litigation costs, including the costs of medical experts, and we only charge a fee if we recover for you.
