Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer
You trusted your doctors with your health—with your life. You believed they would uphold their oath to “first, do no harm.” They broke that promise, and they left you to deal with the pain, suffering, and health complications that they caused. You deserve to be compensated for your injuries.
Your case demands experienced medical malpractice lawyers who have the knowledge, skill, and resources to stand up to healthcare providers and their attorneys and demand that they take responsibility for their actions. You need Ankin Law.
Why Hire Us?
When doctors and hospitals fail to meet the standard of care expected of them, and they make mistakes that harm their patients, our attorneys hold them accountable. We have over 150 years of combined experience representing the people of Illinois, and we’ve recovered hundreds of millions on behalf of our clients.
- We Offer FREE consultations
- We’re available 24/7
- We will come to you if you are unable to get to our Chicago offices.
Timing Is Critical. Let’s Get Started With Your Claim
If you or your loved one suffered harm because of a doctor, nurse, surgeon, anesthesiologist, or another medical professional, you need to take action now.
The statute of limitations sets a deadline for filing a medical malpractice claim. Injured patients in Illinois generally have just two years to take legal action. Exceptions may apply that shorten or extend the deadline in your situation, however. As such, it is crucial to consult with an experienced attorney at our law firm as soon as you realize you may have a claim.
Contact us today for your free case evaluation. Call (312) 600-0000.
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Get Top Medical Malpractice Attorneys On Your Side
If you suffered injuries that were caused by your medical provider, it’s vital that you seek advice and legal representation from a skilled attorney right away. You’ll need a lawyer who has the experience, assertiveness, and resources to protect your rights.
At Ankin Law, we are dedicated to holding negligent health care providers accountable for their mistakes. Whether through negotiation and settlement, or trial in an Illinois courtroom, our job is to make sure negligent doctors, nurses, hospitals, and others pay for the harm they’ve caused.
We Have Recovered Hundreds of Millions of Dollars on Behalf of Our Clients
Our lawyers have earned a reputation for taking on some of the most challenging personal injury and medical malpractice cases in Illinois – and winning. We have recovered hundreds of millions in settlements and verdicts for our clients.
We handle medical malpractice cases in Chicago, Cicero, Chicago Heights, Schaumburg, Joliet, Waukegan, Wheaton, Rosemont, Naperville, Elgin, Morton, Orland Park, Bartonville, Eureka, Bloomington, Galesburg, and the surrounding communities.
Get Your FREE Case Evaluation. Call (312) 600-0000.
We Are the Malpractice Attorneys Chicago Trusts
Highly Recommended!!
Did an awesome job helping my Husband with his case. Very professional and always getting back to us with an answer. Karolina, thank you for all your help on always getting back to us when we had questions. Definitely will go back if I needed a lawyer again. Very patient with us and did not pressure us at all!
Ankin Law is one law firm that I would recommend anyone to use for cases of injuries. They are very thorough when working on your case and very professional. Their legal assistant Alex Quigley is a very polite and a pleasant person to work with. She is very thorough, very professional and very patient. If there were any problems that came about with your case, she would be right on it, and she would get the matter resolved. She cares about her/their clients, and she does her all to make you feel comfortable working with the law firm. Alex, continue to do what you do.
I was told to go to Ankin Law because they were the best, and they truly did not disappoint! Upon getting in contact with Ankin, I was introduced to one of their OUTSTANDING employees, Kat McHenry. Kat helped me get all the information I needed regarding my insurance issue and has helped me immensely with a plan to move forward. I would recommend both Kat McHenry and Ankin Law to anyone I know. Thanks for being so amazing!
We are your voice when you or your family member suffers a personal injury or wrongful death caused by a medical provider.
What Qualifies As Medical Malpractice?
Malpractice happens when a medical care provider fails to meet the standard of care expected of them in the health care setting. Malpractice includes acts or omissions that lead to misdiagnosis, failing to provide appropriate treatment for a condition, or a delay of treatment that leads to personal injury or wrongful death for the patient.
Medical malpractice may occur in a variety of situations. It can happen when patients suffer harm because:
- The provider does not provide proper care prior to, during, or after surgery.
- Test results are misinterpreted or tests are not performed properly.
- Medicine is improperly prescribed or incorrectly administered.
- Doctors fail to inform patients about the risks involved with their treatments or alternative treatments that are less risky.
- Treatment does not follow the same standards that other medical professionals in the same circumstances would have followed.
Common Examples of Medical Negligence Seen by Chicago Malpractice Law Firms
Hospital Malpractice
Medical staff may fail to perform diagnostic testing or follow up on test results, ignore safety guidelines that require them to sanitize equipment or wash their hands, use defective medical equipment, or diagnose and treat patients for the wrong medical condition. When medical staff members like nurses and aides, physician assistants, medical technicians, or others engage in negligent behaviors or their care is substandard, patients may have a hospital malpractice case. The health care facility may be held liable for negligence under the legal theory of vicarious liability.
Surgical Errors
About 24% of medical malpractice cases filed are connected to surgical errors. Wrong-site surgeries, retained foreign objects such as surgical instruments and sponges, performing the wrong surgery and causing damage to organs or nerves are all common examples of surgical malpractice.
Emergency Room Malpractice
Medical mistakes are common in the high-pressure environment of the emergency room. When emergency room professionals fail to provide the level of care expected and injuries or death occur, they can be held accountable. Providing the wrong treatment, failing to diagnose a heart attack, stroke or other life-altering or life-threatening condition, and failing to order crucial diagnostic tests are common emergency room errors.
Substandard Care
Medical professionals have a responsibility to provide their patients with quality care. When they fail to provide the same level of care that other medical professionals faced with the same circumstances would have provided, they can be held liable for errors made in diagnosis, birthing processes, prescriptions, treatment and surgical procedures.
Diagnostic Errors
Mistakes made when interpreting tests or evaluating a patient’s symptoms, and failing to explore all possible health conditions, may lead to a delay in diagnosis and accurate treatment. When diagnostic errors cause serious injuries or death, professionals can be held liable.
Medication Errors
Giving a patient the wrong dose, failing to administer prescribed medication, or prescribing the wrong medication can cause irrevocable harm to the patient. These medication errors can be attributed to medical staff or pharmacists.
What You Should Know About Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
Filing a lawsuit can help ensure that medical doctors, dentists, specialists, psychiatrists, nurses, hospitals and facilities, and other health care providers are held liable for their incompetence, mistakes, or negligent actions that cause injuries to you or your loved ones. A settlement or jury award can help you get your medical bills paid, replace your lost income, and compensate you for your pain and suffering.
Who Can Be Held Liable in Medical Malpractice Claims and Lawsuits?
Various types of medical providers can be held liable in medical negligence cases in Chicago. Common types of defendants include medical professionals like:
- Doctors
- Surgeons
- Nurses
- Anesthesiologists
- Dentists
- Midwives
Hospitals, clinics, government-run healthcare facilities, birthing centers, surgical centers and other types of facilities whose negligent or substandard care causes injury or death to patients can also be held accountable for medical malpractice.
Center:
Injured by a medical provider? Check out our medical malpractice knowledge center to learn more about medical malpractice cases.
Injured by a medical provider? Check out our medical malpractice knowledge center to learn more about medical malpractice cases.
Learn MoreRequirements for a Successful Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
For a health care provider to be held liable for injuries or fatalities, four elements must exist.
Duty of Care:
Your malpractice attorney must show that the medical professional or facility owed a duty of care to the victim. This is typically established by showing the existence of a provider-patient relationship.
Causation:
The healthcare provider’s failure to provide appropriate care to the patient must have caused the injuries suffered by the patient. Again, expert testimony by other relevant medical professionals is typically required to prove this element.
Breach of Duty:
Your lawyer will present evidence to demonstrate that the medical professional or health care facility provided substandard care when providing treatment to the patient. Testimony from medical experts is almost always required.
Damages:
It is not enough to show that the medical provider provided substandard care. Substantial injuries must have been sustained due to the health care provider’s medical mistake or negligence for your medical malpractice claim to be viable.
Do I Need an Affidavit of Merit for a Medical Malpractice Case?
Getting Medical Treatment As An Injured Patient in Chicago
Chicago was ranked as the 54th best city in the United States for hospital quality and overall quality of health care. Although the city is home to some of the best medical providers in the world, it’s also host to a multitude of negligent doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals and facilities. In fact, Medicare ranked three prominent Chicago hospitals with the lowest, one-star grade.
As a victim of medical malpractice, this is especially alarming. You’ve already suffered harm at the hands of a doctor you trusted, so it’s even harder to trust someone with your medical care. Whether you receive treatment at the best, or the worst hospital, the risk of medical malpractice is real.
Some of Chicago’s most highly-regarded medical facilities include:
We Can Help You Recover
“You should never have to pay for the negligence of your health care providers. Our Chicago law firm helps ensure that patients like you receive appropriate financial compensation for the damages they suffer. In Illinois, there is no cap for medical malpractice damages.”
– Howard Ankin
Every year, nearly 100,000 patients die as a result of preventable medical mistakes. Countless other victims are severely injured. The consequences of medical mistakes are often catastrophic.
Recovering financial compensation through a successful medical malpractice claim or lawsuit can help patients like you access the resources needed to recover emotionally, physically, and financially.
Negligent health care providers can be held liable to pay financial compensation for:
Medical negligence often leaves patients with physical or emotional conditions that require extensive, ongoing treatment, specialized equipment, and/or round the clock care. Over the course of a lifetime, medical costs can skyrocket.
In many cases, medical negligence leads to wrongful death. Surviving family members can recover compensation for the loss of companionship, loss of financial support that the deceased provided (and was expected to provide in the future), funeral and burial expenses and more.
Medical errors or negligent acts frequently leave disabling injuries in their wake. Many victims find themselves unable to return to work, placing their financial security in jeopardy. When family members are financially dependent on mom, dad, or a spouse, and that person dies because of medical malpractice, the loss of income, health care coverage, and other benefits can be catastrophic.
Medical negligence often prevents victims from doing the things they enjoyed prior to the incident. Participating in sports, playing with the kids, enjoying a family vacation, or even taking an evening stroll can suddenly seem out of reach. In some cases, pain and discomfort make even simple tasks almost unbearable. Our attorneys recognize the seriousness of losing enjoyment in life. We consider this factor when calculating award amounts.
Illinois Courts may hold medical providers liable for the physical pain and suffering their acts or negligence cause. The amount of pain and suffering that is awarded in a medical malpractice case largely depends on the severity of injuries and how they impact the victim’s daily life.
The spouse of a person who is seriously injured or killed because of medical errors can recover damages for the loss of marital benefits. Loss of affection, loss of emotional support, and loss of sexual relations are often experienced by spouses of malpractice victims.
What Sets the Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Ankin Law Apart from the Rest?
- At Ankin Law in Chicago, we provide superior service and personal attention to every case. You’re not just another number at Ankin Law. You’re family.
- If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you. When you hire our firm, an attorney will meet with you to discuss your case in the privacy of your own home, hospital room, or another agreed upon location.
- Our Chicago attorneys have access to a vast network of experts who can help uncover medical mistakes, determine negligence and provide compelling testimony about the cause and severity of your case. With their help, we expose every aspect of the circumstances that led to your injuries, holding negligent healthcare providers responsible.
- Retaining the services of Ankin Law won’t cost you anything up front. Legal representation is on a contingency basis, and you won’t pay any attorney fees unless we win.
- We have a strong track record of obtaining successful results for injured victims in Chicago. Client testimonials and case results speak for themselves.
Why File a Medical Malpractice Claim?
Medical malpractice lawsuits send a message to healthcare providers that medical negligence will not be tolerated. While successful plaintiffs can recover significant amounts of monetary compensation, they also enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that they helped to prevent similar acts from happening to someone else.
How much will a medical malpractice lawsuit cost me?
Our team provides a free initial consultation to malpractice victims, and we can go over the estimated cost of your case when we meet. We offer legal representation to malpractice victims on a contingency basis, and our fees are subtracted from your settlement or jury award. You won’t pay anything unless we win your case.
How long do medical malpractice lawsuits usually take?
The length of time it takes for a malpractice lawsuit to resolve is impacted by various factors. If medical negligence is obvious, and medical evidence is readily available, your claim will move faster through the system. Depending on whether a lawsuit is settled out of court or a full trial progresses, it can take weeks, months, and often years to resolve a malpractice case.
How much money can I recover for my injuries?
There is no cap on medical malpractice damages in Illinois. Awards are typically determined based on the severity of injuries and losses, and the impact they have on a victim’s life. If you suffered a severe personal injury at the hands of a doctor, or your loved one is the victim of wrongful death caused by a negligent medical provider, your attorney can estimate the value of your claim during your free consultation.