Medical Malpractice Lawyers In Chicago, IL

When you visit a doctor, or need to have treatment in a hospital, you assume that the professionals who will be providing you with your healthcare won't make any mistake that will cause you harm. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. When medical treatment goes wrong, it can cause severe physical and mental distress and further cause you to incur significant additional medical expenses and other financial loss.

If you have been the victim of medical malpractice, it's imperative that you seek help from a qualified and experienced Chicago medical malpractice lawyer who can help you to obtain the compensation that you need and deserve. Here at William S. Wojcik Ltd. in Oak Lawn, Illinois, our skilled and knowledgeable team of attorneys are available to help you with your case and to make sure that you are fairly and fully compensated for all your financial losses.

What Is Medical Malpractice?

According to the JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association), the third leading cause of death in the USA is medical malpractice. These are sobering statistics indeed. In research carried out by the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, it was found that over 250,000 lives were lost in America every year due to a broad spectrum of failures in the healthcare system, from incorrect diagnoses to communication breakdowns. There are several elements at play when it comes to determining the facts of a medical malpractice case.

The law governing medical malpractice deals with the liability of physicians and healthcare institutions and providers. These professionals can cause a patient harm by rendering medical services in a manner deemed to be negligent, or outside the standard of care that reasonably prudent professionals would ordinarily use under the same or similar circumstances. While all states have their own legislation and legal procedures for handling this type of case, generally doctors are held to be liable if their conduct does not meet that standard.

There are several errors which may qualify as medical malpractice. Some of these include:

• Failure to correctly diagnose a patient's medical condition or a delay in making a correct diagnosis

• Misreading of X-rays or other tests

• Prescribing an incorrect medication or the wrong amount of medication

• Failing to warn the patient of any potential side effects or risks of undergoing a medical procedure

• Performing a procedure without the patient having given informed consent

• Making an error during a surgical procedure or during childbirth

If a doctor acts negligently, it can have catastrophic results for the patient, and therefore it isn't surprising that compensation awards for medical malpractice can be high. Damages may be awarded to include physical suffering and pain, medical expenses, emotional distress, loss of earnings, decrease in earning potential, compensation for complete or partial impairment, death or disfigurement and punitive damages.

The Effects Of Medical Malpractice

If either yourself or one of your loved ones has sustained a severe injury as a result of medical malpractice, it is highly likely that expenses will quickly mount up. If the injury is so severe that a lifetime of care will be required, families can easily become overwhelmed financially and emotionally. While healthcare programs often stay in place for victims of medical malpractice, often the care provided is only the most basic available, and should more advanced care be required, the costs of this treatment will often fall on the victim themselves,  or their family members.

This is the main reason why anyone who suspects that they or their family member has been the victim of medical malpractice should immediately seek advice from a Chicago medical malpractice lawyer who can evaluate the case and offer informed guidance as to the amount of compensation which could be expected. Although medical malpractice actions are known to be complex, our law firm has an excellent record of success in achieving settlement agreements for victims, and would be delighted to help you to pursue your own case for compensation if you are suffering as a result of the actions of a healthcare provider.

How To Receive Compensation For Suffering As A Result Of Medical Malpractice

The first step in obtaining compensation for your suffering as a victim of medical malpractice is to engage the services of malpractice lawyers in Chicago. A professional attorney will be able to give you the advice that you need to pursue your claim and to obtain the financial compensation that you need.

Although in some legal matters it is possible to represent yourself, in the case of medical malpractice this is just not feasible as the level of expert knowledge required is extremely advanced. A reputable firm of lawyers who specialize in personal injury cases of this nature should be contacted in order to ensure that the case is pursued to its best advantage, and the Law Offices of William S. Wojcik, Ltd. should be your first port of call when looking for a Chicago medical malpractice lawyer.

Our knowledgeable specialist attorneys will be able to evaluate the facts surrounding the malpractice incident, gathering evidence and hospital records as well as depositions from any witnesses and the defendant themselves. They will also engage the services of a medical expert who can review all of the supplied evidence and draw up an expert report with a view to appearing at any trial to testify.

When the expert's report is given to the attorneys for the defendant and their insurance adjuster, negotiations for a settlement will commence. If a suitable amount of compensation can be agreed, you will receive compensation which will cover your costs. Alternatively, if no settlement can be reached, a trial will be held, and a jury or judge will be able to decide on the outcome.

What Happens If I Can't Afford To Hire An Attorney?

Here at William S. Wojcik Ltd, we understand that if you have been the victim of medical malpractice it can sometimes be difficult to make ends meet. It is likely that you may have had to take time off work for medical treatment and you may even have sustained injuries that mean you will be unable to return to your employment for some time, or perhaps at all.

We know that this loss of income can make it difficult to pay the bills, and so we make sure that you won't have to worry about how you're going to meet your legal fees by taking all medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that there is nothing to pay upfront, and all our costs are covered by a percentage of the sum that you are awarded in compensation for your suffering. If, for any reason, we fail to secure you any compensation, no fee will be charged in respect of your claim, so you have no cause for concern and can pursue your claim freely.

Why Choose William S. Wojcik, Ltd.?

If you have been the victim of medical malpractice in Chicago and have suffered from a personal injury as the result of the act or omission of a doctor or other health practitioner, it is highly likely that you will be experiencing significant expenses and financial losses. Not only will you have your physical injuries to contend with, but you will probably also have to deal with other issues such as extra medical bills, loss of earnings, loss of consortium, suffering and pain. That's where the Law Offices of William S. Wojcik Ltd. can help.

As experienced medical malpractice lawyers in Chicago, we have more than 35 years of experience in representing the victims of healthcare negligence, recklessness and medical malpractice. Over the years, we have successfully handled a huge variety of medical malpractice claims for our clients including those relating to:

• Abortion injuries and deaths

• Prescribing of incorrect pharmaceuticals and medications

• Improper treatment

• Delayed treatment

• Abuse and neglect in nursing homes

• Negligence by a physician or in a hospital including failure to appropriately monitor a patient

• Errors in the emergency room including mistakes in triage, incorrect treatments and incorrect diagnoses

• Failure to diagnose a condition, including in cases of serious illness such as cancer

• Surgical errors which result in infection, injury, nerve damage or even death

• Negligence by nursing staff

• Infections post-surgery

• Errors in anesthesia resulting in death or brain damage

• Incorrect reading of tests and laboratory errors which result in injury or serious harm

• Errors during childbirth which result in a physical disability or brain damage to the infant

Our medical malpractice lawyers represent personal injury victims in Cook County, Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Alsip, Burbank, Chicago Ridge, Blue Island, Bridgeview, Palos Hills, Palos Heights, Palos Park, Hickory Hills, Worth, Western Springs, Crestwood, Orland Park, Oak Forest, Tinley Park, Homer Glen, Mokena, New Lenox, and Frankfort. All our medical malpractice claims are handled on a contingency basis, so if we obtain compensation for your personal injury, our fee will be based on a percentage of the amount which you are awarded.

Examples Of Our Successful Compensation Cases For Medical Malpractice

Here are just some examples of our successful compensation cases which we have recently won for victims of medical malpractice:

We have won over 100 medical negligence cases, including some for female plaintiffs whose ob/gyn doctor allegedly carried out unnecessary biopsies in his office. In respect of their pain and suffering these patients were awarded compensation in the sum of $3.775 million.

William S. Wojcik Ltd., medical malpractice attorneys in Oak Lawn, have also won negligence cases against national laboratories, physicians who have performed unnecessary surgery on patients, and many other types of cases involving medical errors. William S. Wojcik has won ground-breaking cases invoving medical ethical duties to patients, and was the first one in the USA to assert this recovery theory. The settlement or jury verdict awards can be substantial. We have been able to recover the sum of $1,500,000.00 fro, the aforementioned  laboratory.

An elderly patient who went into hospital to undergo a knee replacement operation ended up suffering from vascular injuries as   a result of surgical errors, and had to stay in a nursing home for treatment following the operation. During her time in the nursing home, she became the victim of negligent wound care. She was awarded the sum of $1.495 million in compensation.

A newborn baby who was infected perinatally with hepatitis B was awarded a settlement of $1.2 million as the doctor involved and the hospital allegedly failed to administer the appropriate hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin at birth or during the infant's stay in hospital, which resulted in a chronic form of hepatitis infection.

A cataract patient was given the incorrect lens during their cataract surgery, and although they still have 20/20 corrected vision they were awarded a settlement in the sum of $200,000 in respect of the medical malpractice.

Contact us today for a free consultation

Our clients have been the victims of many types of medical malpractice, however by seeking the advice of our knowledgeable and skilled legal team they were able to obtain settlements to help them to cover their costs and to compensate them for the suffering that they had experienced.

As patients, we trust our doctors to carry out their medical duties with care and due consideration, however sometimes a preventable accident will occur during medical treatment, and when this happens, the injured party and their family often end up having to deal with insurance companies who try to deny them the compensation they deserve, or pay a sum which is considerably lower than it should be. If you suspect that you, or your family member, has been the victim of medical malpractice, the best way to ensure that all legal rights are protected is to immediately contact a knowledgeable attorney.

Contact our medical malpractice attorneys at the Law Offices of William S. Wojcik, Ltd. and schedule a free of charge initial consultation to discuss your case and to find out more about your options. We can arrange an appointment during the weekend or in the evening to suit your schedule by appointment.

ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF MEDICAL MALPRACTICE SETTLEMENTS IN CHICAGO