What To Consider When Hiring A Lawyer
Whatever your particular legal needs might be, it is likely that many attorneys have the education,skill and experience to serve you effectively. However, finding the right fit might require youto review the credentials of several lawyers and examine several different considerations.
At the outset, you should take an honest look at your situation and determine if a legal solutionexists. If youre unsure, it might be worthwhile to take advantage of a free consultation withan attorney who handles that type of matter. Together, you can explore your options carefullybefore choosing a course of action.
Should you be engaged in a dispute or charged with a crime, its important to hire an attorneywho will work with you to identify the best way to achieve your desired result. Some lawyersare more comfortable advocating for their clients in court while others are better at negotiatingmutually acceptable agreements.
You should always ask for clear information about fees and the lawyers particular experiencewith situations such as yours. When youre already familiar with an attorneys basic credentialsthrough Lawyers.com, you can make the most of your initial consultation.
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If youve been injured by negligence, suddenly and accidentally, we understand your concerns. Your medical bills and your regular monthly obligations can pile up quickly, and you may not know when or if you can return to work. Let the legal team at Phillips Law Offices help.
The right personal injury lawyer will protect your rights while bringing your personal injury, wrongful death, or workers comp case to its best possible resolution. To schedule a free consultation, use the contact form on this website or call Phillips Law Offices at .
Learn more about us by reading the of Phillips Law Offices. Our office is conveniently located in The Loop near City Hall and the Richard J. Daley Center, approximately 13 miles from Chicago Midway International Airport .
Take I-55 North from MDW. Take exit 292 A to merge onto I-90 W/I-94 W toward West Ryan Expressway/Wisconsin. Take exit 51A and turn right onto Lake Street. Turn right before the pharmacy, and our offices will be on your left at 161 North Clark Street #4925.
What Is Required To File A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
In order to prevail in a medical malpractice case, you will have to show a breach of the standard of care. This is defined as the accepted practices that other health care providers in the same specialty would use in treating a similar patient under similar circumstances.
For example, if a doctor misdiagnoses a condition, a patient may lose out on opportunities for treatment that could have prevented a worsening of the condition or death. You would need to have an expert explain why the doctors diagnosis was incompetent under the circumstances. Usually this means the expert will look at the differential diagnosis method used to determine treatment. If the expert believes that a doctor in the same specialty under similar circumstances would not have made the same misdiagnosis, you can bring a lawsuit. An expert must analyze all relevant factors, including age, health, and the specific condition at issue. Our medical malpractice lawyers can help Chicago residents retain a persuasive expert for their case.
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Illinois Has A Statute Of Limitations For A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
In Illinois, medical malpractice lawsuits have a relatively short statute of limitations. Per 735 ILCS §5/13-212, you generally have two years to file your lawsuit. Your statutory deadline will largely depend on:
- Whether you lost a loved one
- The date that you discovered the medical negligence
- The date the medical negligence occurred
You should consider reaching out to our team of Chicago medical malpractice lawyers as soon as possible. Even if you only suspect that you suffered medical malpractice, by contacting our team promptly, you give your lawyer time to build your case. Also, failure to act within the states deadline could invalidate your right to financial compensation.
We Can Determine Whether You Have A Valid Medical Malpractice Case
- Failing to properly diagnose a disease
- Failing to administer proper medications
- Childbirth injuries
- Failing to consult a patients medical history
- Improperly conducting surgery
Medical malpractice cases are often complex, requiring that medical malpractice attorneys be familiar both with the law and the medical issues involved. The Kryder Law Group, LLC can help you determine whether you or a loved one was injured due to the negligence of a doctor, nurse, hospital, or other medical professionals. Call us for a free consultation today.
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What Are The Most Common Types Of Medical Malpractice
Medical negligence can occur in a variety of situations, and its impact on victims lives is often devastating. Medical malpractice claims and lawsuits can be brought against any type of negligent medical professional, including doctors, surgeons, nurses, dentists, healthcare facilities, pharmacists, EMTs and nursing home staff members.
Although each incident is different, medical malpractice cases typically fall into three main categories:
- Improper treatment: If your physician treated you in a way that another competent physician would not have, you main be the victim of medical malpractice. Similarly, you may also be a victim of malpractice if the physician chose the appropriate type of treatment for your situation but administered it incorrectly. Errors in prescribing medication can also fall into this category.
- Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose: If your doctor misdiagnosed your injury or illness or failed to diagnose a discoverable condition, they may be guilty of malpractice, especially if another medical professional would have given a correct and timely diagnosis.
- Failure to warn of possible risks: Medical professionals have a duty to warn their patients of any known risks of a procedure or course of treatment, also referred to as the duty of informed consent. If you were not properly warned of the potential risks of a procedure and would not have elected for the care had you been fully informed, your physician may be liable for medical malpractice.
How Do I Choose A Lawyer
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Consider the following:
- Comfort Level
- – Are you comfortable telling the lawyer personal information? Does the lawyer seem interested in solving your problem?
- Credentials
- – How long has the lawyer been in practice? Has the lawyer worked on other cases similar to yours?
- Cost
- – How are the lawyer’s fees structured – hourly or flat fee? Can the lawyer estimate the cost of your case?
- City
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Chicagos Best Medical Malpractice Lawyers:
The leading Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Chicago, Illinois are:
- Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC committed to providing the best legal service and dedicated to giving personalized attention to their clients
- Levin & Perconti commit themselves to protect and vindicate the rights of people who are seriously injured by the negligence of others
- Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. focus their practice on protecting the rights of the unjustly injured
- Phillips Injury Attorneys of Chicago assures you to help you in any way they can including the confusing medical terminology, complex legal issues, and a mountain of paperwork
- Corboy & Demetrio pride themselves on their work and their professionalism with a philanthropic state of mind
No More Caps On Damages
With the recent ruling by Illinois Supreme Court, it is now clear that there are no longer any caps on damages, including punitive damages related to malpractice in medical facilities.
This lack of limitation means every healthcare doctor could be held liable for more than just their mistakes if a patient becomes injured while under care and treatment at such an institution.
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How Do I Pick An Illinois Medical Malpractice Law Firm
We are Illinois lawyers, who since 2001, have been offering legal guidance and attorney referrals to the top Illinois medical malpractice lawyers. Call our office at or to speak with an attorney for FREE and get pointed in the right direction. Or you can fill out our contact form to tell us about your situation and we will contact you. It is always free and confidential to contact us.
Medical malpractice is a broad term generally used to describe any treatment, lack of treatment, or other departure from accepted standards of medical care, health care, or safety on the part of a health care provider that causes harm to a patient. Medical malpractice can include, misdiagnosis, improper treatment, failure to treat, delay in treatment, failure to perform appropriate follow-up, prescription errors, etc. People contact us to determine who is best lawyer for their case. Whether it is Chicago, Joliet, Belleville, Rockford or anywhere else we can usually point you in the right direction.
When looking for an Illinois medical malpractice attorney, we recommend that they possess the following traits and characteristics: experience, a track record of success, has connections to top doctors, familiar with complex cases, financial ability to bring a case to trial, great interpersonal skills and time to devote to your case.
Things To Keep In Mind About Medical Malpractice
It can happen at any stage in the medical service process during diagnosis, treatment, recovery, or advice following treatment.
It can also happen at any kind of medical facility, from a walk-in clinic to an emergency room to a specialized surgical center.
To prove malpractice, you will need a medical report from a consulting physician, under Illinois law. This physician will provide an explanation of medical standards and how your treatment would normally be handled.
You may also need additional testimony from incident witnesses or expert witnesses. Rely on your attorneys advice about witness testimony.
There is a statute of limitations that is generally within 2 years of the incident or discovery date, and not more than 4 years from the incident. Lawsuits involving minors must be brought before they turn 22 years old and within 8 years of the alleged incident.
The severity of your injury may contribute to a decision about pursuing your case. In terms of litigation and economic value, only in the most severe cases do the benefits outweigh the costs. Well help you do a calculation that makes this clearer for your individual case.
Prepare yourself: Medical malpractice lawsuits are some of the longest-term legal cases out there. It may take months or years to prepare your case and bring it to court. In addition, your case might be tried by either a judge or jury which varies the timing and it might be delayed or appealed as a part of the legal process.
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What Do I Need To Prove In A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
Proving a malpractice claim requires you to establish what a doctors obligations were and to show how the physician fell short.
The Illinois civil jury instructions on professional negligence explain the requirements of this type of claims, which include:
- Proving the physician failed to conform to the acceptable standard of care
- Demonstrating the failure was the direct cause of harm.
An expert witness must testify to this, unless the medical negligence is apparent and even a layperson would understand how and why the mistake was malpractice.
Contact A Chicago Legal Malpractice Lawyer Today To Schedule A Free Consultation
Individuals who believe that they have been affected by legal malpractice should retain an attorney as soon as possible. In many instances, people injured by lawyer negligence may be able to obtain compensation for the economic and noneconomic losses that they have sustained. The attorneys of Salvato, OToole & Froylan are committed Chicago legal malpractice attorneys who understand how professional negligence can affect innocent victims. To schedule a free consultation with one of our lawyers, call our office today at 312-583-9500.
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Contact A Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Today To Schedule A Free Case Evaluation
People who are injured by the negligence of others are often legally entitled to compensation for their losses. Among the types of damages available in many Illinois personal injury cases are those for medical expenses, lost income, loss of future earning potential, property damage, and loss of enjoyment of life, among others. The Chicago personal injury attorneys of Salvato, OToole & Froylan have been helping victims of preventable accidents recover for their injuries since 2010 and have recovered multiple settlements in excess of one million dollars on behalf of their clients. We use a contingency fee arrangement in our representation of all of our personal injury clients, meaning that we do not collect any legal fees unless we successfully recover on your behalf. To schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys, please call our office today at 312-583-9500.
Elements Of A Medical Malpractice Claim
Although every medical malpractice case is unique, they all have certain traits in common. For instance, all come with a burden of proof a burden to show the defendant is legally responsible for the patients injury or illness. For a medical malpractice case in Illinois, you need the following four main elements:
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Emergency Room Or Anesthesia Error
When patients are admitted into the emergency room or have a medical condition requiring anesthesia, it is crucial that medical professionals take everything regarding their medical histories and current health condition into account.
The wrong dose of anesthesia or performing an improper emergency room procedure could result in grave harm or even death. Without careful consideration for the individual patients situation, the doctor or nurse might be acting negligently.
What Kind Of Payout Can I Expect
At Levin & Perconti, our clients often ask what kind of payout they might expect in a malpractice situation. Of course, this is a hard question to answer, because there is a lot of variation depending on your situation.
An estimate is never a guarantee, but its helpful to have some idea of what you can anticipate in a medical malpractice suit. Lets look at some nationwide statistics.
U.S. average payouts These are averages. Your payout may be much more or less.
- , quadriplegic, or lifelong care: $1.13 million
- Major permanent injury: $622,168
Verdict
in D.G./estate of M.G. v. Mario Yu, M.D. et al.
We won a verdict against an HMO doctor who disregarded the mothers complaints of postpartum bleeding, which resulted in her death.
Levin & Perconti has helped thousands of clients in more than four decades of practice, securing over $660 million in total compensations for our clients. But dont let the numbers fool you we think beyond the payouts, to the whole human being who is harmed by medical malpractice. Were here to support you.
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How Can I Know If I Have A Good Medical Malpractice Attorney
Communication is key. If the lawyer you speak with seems rushed or will not return your calls, he or she may not be the best fit for you. If they are rud eor aggressive towards you, my advice is to consult with good medical malpractice attorneys.
A good medical malpractice attorney will usually be an experienced attorney who has practiced injury law for a long time. These kinds of lawyers ask a lot of questions and are willing to talk to you and answer your questions.
Of course, giving opinions about a case is a bad idea unless the Chicago medical malpractice lawyer has all of the facts and data and medical records. These things can take quite a bit of time to assemble. That’s why I encourage anyone who suspects medical malpractice or doctor error to consult with a good medical malpractice attorney as soon as you suspect that a mistake was made.
Top Medical Malpractice Lawyers In Chicago
CHH Law is the Chicago medical malpractice law firm that will help get your life back to normal. We are an experienced, winning team of attorneys and board-certified physicians who have won our clients millions to help rebuild their lives.
CHH Law is the Chicago medical malpractice law firm that will help get your life back to normal. We are an experienced, winning team of attorneys and board-certified physicians who have won our clients millions to help rebuild their lives.
4.2
In a recent consultation with Sue, I experienced a highly informative phone consult. Sue was able to extract the critical points of the potential case quickly and professionally. It was apparent she had a solid knowledge of female-gynaecological-infertility issues. She sorted through the information and presented excellent advice to seek more information regarding the health issues we were experiencing to properly establish any potential medical errors or negligence. Very professional! Thank u
In a recent consultation with Sue, I experienced a highly informative phone consult. Sue was able to extract the critical points of the potential case quickly and professionally. It was apparent she had a solid knowledge of female-gynaecological-infertility issues. She sorted through the information and presented excellent advice to seek more information regarding the health issues we were experiencing to properly establish any potential medical errors or negligence. Very professional! Thank u
5.0
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