Personal Injury Lawyer Des Plaines, IL
As a recently injured medical patient whose life has likely been turned upside down, a Des Plaines, IL personal injury lawyer understands that you may be overwhelmed and wondering who to hold responsible for the injuries you incurred. The truth is, there could be multiple parties at fault in a medical malpractice case. Read the information below to help you gain an understanding of which medical professionals or entities could be held liable for your injury. And then don’t hesitate to give our law firm Therman Law Offices, LTD a call for further assistance.
Who Can I Sue for Medical Malpractice?
Throughout the course of an illness or other medical procedure, a patient could interact with many healthcare providers. These providers could be nurses, doctors, pharmacists, therapists, or other professionals. Contributing factors should be considered when determining who was at fault for any medical error that occurs. For instance, if the wrong prescription was prescribed, it could have been the fault of the doctor who failed to review the patient’s current list of other medications. Or, it could have been the responsibility of a nurse who mistakenly wrote down the wrong medication or dosage.
Further, another example would be a pharmacist who made an error when filling the prescription with the dosage or medication itself. The hospital or medical facility could be liable if it did not have appropriate protocols in place to prevent such prescription errors. You and your Des Plaines personal injury lawyer will need to carefully review your medical history to determine when the potential negligence took place and who was actually responsible.
What Damages May Be Collected?
Once the responsible party or parties has been identified, they may have to pay the injured patient for damages incurred as a result of the negligent care. For less severe cases in which the patient did not suffer serious injuries, the damages could include compensation for the prescription that should have been administered and pain and suffering. However, for cases involving more serious injury, damages could include compensation for medical treatment needed due to the injuries sustained, lost wages from missing work, and more significant pain and suffering. In certain extreme cases involving gross misconduct on the part of a medical professional, a jury may award punitive damages. These damages are meant to prevent the same errors from reoccurring.
What Should You Do?
If you believe you may have been the victim of medical malpractice, regardless of the cause, then call us as soon as possible. You or a family member may need advice on whether the situation warrants filing a case and what the next steps are in doing so. We can empathize with the confusion and disbelief you may be going through, especially considering that we rely on medical professionals to make us better, not worse. So when they make a mistake, it can shake our foundation and how we view our safety when under the care of someone who was supposed to be a dependable medical doctor. Contact a Des Plaines personal injury lawyer today to get started. We are ready to help.