When you place your medical care and treatment in the hands of a doctor or other healthcare professionals, you expect to receive the utmost in quality care. However, these professionals sometimes make careless medical errors that could harm patients. If this occurs, you may need a Normal medical malpractice lawyer to help you build an injury claim. An experienced injury attorney could help you recover compensation from the responsible party.
Types of Medical Malpractice
Doctors are not the only possible defendants in a medical malpractice claim. Hospitals, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and chiropractors could all potentially be held responsible for any injuries that result from their reckless or negligent behaviors.
Medical malpractice arises in any situation where healthcare professionals deviate from accepted practices in treating patients. This may include:
- Failing to administer proper diagnostic tests based on patient systems
- Misdiagnosing or failing to diagnose severe medical conditions
- Administering incorrect medication or dosages to patients
- Failing to follow standard protocols during surgeries or medical procedures
When patients experience injuries or the worsening of existing medical conditions as a result of medical errors, they may be entitled to seek compensation. A medical malpractice attorney in Normal may be able to assist plaintiffs in holding medical professionals accountable for their wrongful behavior.
Josh and his staff are excellent to work with. Caring and compassionate, they really listen to the clients. They go above and beyond to get the best possible results. I’m very happy I was referred to him! I will definitely contact him for any future legal needs and I highly recommend him.
— Grace D., ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Google Review
Proving Negligence
Successful medical malpractice claims require proof of the following elements:
- The doctor owed a duty of care to the patient
- The actions or inaction of the doctor breached the duty of care
- The breach of care caused injuries to the patient
- The patient suffered damages as a result of the injuries
Medical malpractice claims also require evidence that healthcare professionals deviated from the accepted standards of care in their specialty. If another professional in the same specialty would have acted differently when confronted with the same or a similar situation, then injury victims may have a valid claim for medical malpractice.
Filing a Medical Malpractice Claim
Under 735 ILCS 5/2-622, injured patients who wish to file a medical malpractice claim must obtain an affidavit from a medical professional who has reviewed all medical records. In their affidavits, medical professionals must affirm that they have examined the situation and have reason to believe that the injured patients have an actionable claim for medical malpractice. Patients must have evidence showing that the medical providers were negligent in providing or failing to provide them with medical care.
Injury victims generally must file their medical malpractice claims within two years of the date the malpractice occurred. However, if patients did not discover their injuries until a later date, they would have two years from the date of discovery in which to file their claims. Another exception applies if the patient was a minor at the time of the misconduct. They would have two years from their 18th birthday to file a claim. After four years, a plaintiff cannot file a suit. A medical malpractice attorney could help ensure that Normal individuals meet all requirements for filing their claims.
Contact a Normal Medical Malpractice Attorney for Advice
Investigating, filing, and litigating a medical malpractice suit can be a complex, challenging, and lengthy process. A Normal medical malpractice lawyer could help you gather the necessary evidence to hold the negligent party responsible. Call today.