Recovering From Avoidable Medical Malpractice
When we are in the care of a medical professional, whether it is a doctor, nurse or other staff member at a hospital or other medical provider, we are in an extremely vulnerable position. If a professional causes you harm through reckless or negligent actions that violates their duty of care to you, you will need help holding them accountable through legal means.
Attorney Frank Morrissey is a Chicago medical malpractice attorney who is committed to clients throughout the Chicagoland area with their malpractice claims. He is ready to offer you the representation you deserve. At the law office of Morrissey Legal Group, LLC, you can find the representation you can count on to resolve your claim while pursuing the compensation you deserve.
Recognizing Medical Malpractice
Not every injury in a hospital qualifies as medical malpractice in Illinois. In order for you to qualify for a malpractice claim, there needs to be four elements present in your situation. Signs of medical malpractice are:
- A duty of care owed to you by a medical professional
- A violation of this duty
- The injury caused by this violation
- The resulting damages from the injury
Attorney Morrissey has extensive experience in corporate defense for hospitals, manufacturers and doctors in these claims. He knows how to develop a personalized strategy to pursue the compensation you deserve that reflects the current and future costs of your injuries.
Instead of letting insurance companies convince you to accept a lowball settlement offer for a claim involving a birth injury, a misdiagnosis, a hospital’s negligent act or another life-changing mistake, make sure you have the resources you need to move forward with the help of an experienced medical malpractice lawyer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Medical Malpractice
Attorney Frank Morrissey hears some questions about medical malpractice from clients very regularly. These include:
How do I know if I have a legitimate medical malpractice claim?
Nobody (certainly not a hospital or a doctor) is likely to tell you that you have a medical malpractice claim – and determining whether you have a valid claim can be difficult on your own. Each case typically needs to be reviewed by a qualified attorney to determine if the medical care you received was substandard.
In general, however, you should be alert to certain “red flags” that – combined with an adverse health outcome – could indicate medical malpractice is involved. These include things like:
- An unusual or unexpected outcome to a course of treatment
- You were never adequately informed about risks or alternatives
- Your diagnosis and treatment was delayed for some reason
- Wrong-site, wrong-side or wrong-patient surgery errors
- There were failures to obtain proper testing or failures to refer
- You find discrepancies or alterations in your medical records
- You develop a hospital-acquired infection after treatment
While not all negative health outcomes are the result of malpractice, injuries that can be tied back to a provider’s mistakes or negligence are.
How long do I have to file a medical malpractice claim in Illinois?
Generally speaking, medical malpractice victims in Illinois have two years from the date of injury, the date the injury was discovered, or the date that the injury should have been discovered, to file a claim. At most, medical malpractice claims must be asserted within four years from the date of injury, barring some exceptions for fraud and other situations that would have actively prevented you from asserting your rights.
What are the typical causes of medical malpractice?
Errors in diagnosis are likely the most common cause of medical malpractice since those can unnecessarily delay treatment or cause a patient to receive treatment that’s actually harmful. Miscommunication between hospital staff or between doctors and their co-workers is also a significant source of malpractice, as are poor hygiene practices in medical facilities, insufficient monitoring of patients with critical needs and prescription errors.
Start Building Your Claim Here
If you believe you are the victim of medical malpractice, contact Morrissey Legal Group, LLC, to schedule your free initial consultation today. Call 312-815-5856 or book your appointment online and take the first step in seeking justice for your injuries.