Medical Malpractice Lawyers – Joliet, Mokena, & Plainfield

No one can doubt that the vast majority of physicians are highly intelligent and highly trained individuals dedicated to providing the very best care for their patients. Like all of us, however, they are human and sometimes make mistakes despite all their good intent. And those mistakes and errors in judgment can sometimes have tragic consequences.

If you or a family member has been the victim of medical malpractice, you need to seek the assistance of an experienced medical malpractice lawyer in Mokena or Joliet, Illinois. You deserve some adequate compensation for the pain, suffering, and injuries you have encountered.

Medical Malpractice – A Definition

The term “medical malpractice” means when a medical worker does something wrong and hurts a patient by not following the rules of good medical care. Think of it like a doctor making a mistake, a catastrophic mistake. An example of this could include something like medical carelessness, due to the doctor failing to do their job as they’re supposed to. Medical errors can lead to delayed diagnosis or the worsening of a patient’s medical status.

You might wonder, how common is medical malpractice? Unfortunately, cases like this are more common than you might guess. Recent studies show that around 251,000 people in the U.S. die each year because of medical mistakes. This makes medical malpractice the third top cause of death in the country, right after heart disease and cancer.

All that said, there is one important caveat to keep in mind: If a medical procedure does not go according to plan, that does not necessarily mean that it falls into the category of medical malpractice.

Types Of Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice can take many forms, and here are some of the more common.

• Missed or Late Diagnosis: When a doctor doesn’t diagnose a problem correctly or takes a long time to do so, the patient might miss out on better treatment. It’s important to clearly show what the doctor did wrong and how they could have diagnosed and treated the condition better.
• Mistakes Before Birth and During Childbirth: Not catching a mom’s health issue that could hurt the baby, missing birth defects, and not spotting certain pregnancy issues are mistakes that can lead to problems during childbirth. Also, not preparing for birth issues, not noticing when the baby’s in trouble, not doing the right kind of surgery, or using tools badly can also cause harm.
• Medicine Mistakes: Sometimes doctors or medical staff make mistakes with medicines, like giving the wrong one or not noticing if it could harm the patient when mixed with other drugs.
• Errors with Anesthesia: Rarely, but seriously, mistakes with anesthesia (what makes you sleep during surgery) can cause big problems, like hurting the brain or even death. Mistakes can happen before surgery by not checking a patient’s history and not telling them important things. During surgery, giving too much anesthesia, not watching the patient’s vital signs, not putting the tube correctly, or using bad tools can also be mistakes.
• Surgical Mistakes: Mistakes during surgery, like working on the wrong part, hurting an organ or a blood vessel, or leaving tools inside the body, can be really bad. After surgery, not taking good care of the patient can cause infections.
• Pharmacy Mistakes: Mistakes with medicines from the pharmacy can be super serious, even life-threatening. Giving the wrong medicine or not looking at a patient’s history and giving a medicine that might make them very sick are mistakes.
• Sending Patients Home Too Early: When patients are discharged from the hospital before they have fully recovered, it can lead to a range of complications. Proper healing and recovery often require a certain amount of time and medical attention. If a patient is sent home prematurely, their condition might not have stabilized, and they could experience setbacks.
• This can result in the need for readmission, prolonging their recovery process and potentially causing additional medical issues. Proper monitoring and ensuring that a patient’s health is stable before discharge are crucial steps to prevent further complications.
• Using Medical Tools the Wrong Way: The correct use of medical tools during procedures is essential for ensuring patient safety and successful outcomes. However, if medical tools are used incorrectly, the consequences can be serious. Incorrect tool usage might lead to tissue damage, internal bleeding, or other unintended complications.
• Medical professionals receive specialized training to handle these tools properly, and any deviation from the correct procedure can result in harm to the patient. Proper training, careful attention to detail, and adherence to established protocols are crucial to prevent such errors and ensure patient well-being.
• Not Following the Right Medical Rules: Doctors, nurses, and other medical workers are trained to follow certain rules when they work. If they don’t, it can lead to problems for patients, both physically and mentally. Sometimes, not following these rules can even result in a patient’s death.

While most of these cases will fall under these medical malpractice law categories, others might fit a scenario that’s more of a gray area. In any case, our Joliet medical malpractice attorneys with Block Law will make sure your case is represented using all of our best resources. Schedule your consultation.

Your Response To Medical Malpractice

Filing a medical malpractice lawsuit can seem intimidating, but it shouldn’t be. As the patient or loved one of a patient, you’ve done nothing wrong and deserve justice for a wrongful death or injury claim. A medical professional must adhere to a standard of care to keep the patient safe. If they do not, then you need to contact a medical malpractice lawyer in Joliet, IL.

Here are just a few of the many steps our Illinois medical malpractice attorneys believe you should take:

• Document everything you possibly can – In real estate, it’s location, location, location, and in cases of a medical malpractice lawsuit, it is documentation, documentation, documentation. Despite all the stresses involved, you should document the names of doctors and nurses involved in your case, and list all medications, and all procedures that were used.
• Get your medical records – Under Illinois law, you are entitled to copies of all your medical records, and you should never take “no” for an answer. They are your records and you are fully entitled to have copies of them.
  This also includes the medical records or death certificate of a loved one who experienced a wrongful death due to medical malpractice.
• Ask questions – We realize that it can be intimidating to question healthcare providers, but you must do so. This is not a time to be hesitant.
• Questions are an essential step in getting the damages you deserve. As a patient or the relative of a patient, you have a right to know what happened and why.

Ready to speak to a trusted law firm about your medical malpractice case? Get in touch with our attorneys at Block Law.

Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorneys In Joliet, IL

In addition to the above steps, you should immediately hire an experienced medical malpractice attorney. You shouldn’t have to pay for medical bills from the doctor or hospital that mistreated you. Our law office can help you litigate your case and secure the compensation you and your family are entitled to for a medical injury or death.

In Illinois, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims is two years and given the many complications and questions inherent in medical malpractice cases, you mustn’t delay in seeking competent legal counsel.

Medical malpractice, wrongful deaths, and personal injury cases are just a few of the many areas we specialize in at Block Law. If you or a family is the victim of medical practice in Plainfield, Mokena, Joliet, or a nearby community, then we urge you to contact our firm immediately. Schedule your initial free consultation.