Sexner & Associates LLC Talk Medical Malpractice in Illinois

PR Newswire

CHICAGO, July 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Errors and accidents from overworked or careless physicians and medical staff in Illinois are a more common occurrence than anyone would like to admit. In fact, in 2014 alone more than $200 million was paid out to medical malpractice claimants in Illinois alone (Link).

But it's not just Illinois that has been impacted. According to the Journal of Patient Safety, over 400,000 patients die each year due to preventable medical errors and accidents, with some estimates indicating that as many as 33% of hospital admissions and stays will result in some type of medical error.

Although not all medical errors meet the criteria of medical malpractice, others involve gross negligence often resulting in dire consequences including pain and suffering, unnecessary treatments and procedures, and death.

Sexner & Associates LLC wants those who have suffered from medical malpractice to know that they are not alone in this fight, and they shouldn't shy away from asserting their rights and seeking the compensation they deserve.

Medical Malpractice in Illinois: an overview

Medical Malpractice is the result of a physician or other healthcare professional, organization or institution breaching what is known as the "standard of care" when treating a patient. This breach may result in damages, injury, and in severe cases, death.

The "standard of care" refers to a commonly accepted set of practices, courses of action and standards that similar medical professionals with like training and experience would adhere to if they were treating a patient under the same circumstances. A violation of this standard of care is known as medical negligence.

Treatment: an often confusing aspect of malpractice

According to Mitchell Sexner, when most individuals think of treatment, they think of medicine, diagnostics or other services used to treat a disease. However, "treatment" in the context of a malpractice case may also unfortunately involve misdiagnosis, prescribing the wrong medication, or even the failure to treat. In most cases, if the "treatment" or lack thereof caused damages or injury to the patient, that may count as an "actionable" incident eligible to initiate a lawsuit for malpractice.

Illinois Statute of Limitations for Medical Malpractice

Sexner and Associates LLC urges victims in Illinois to not wait to seek legal counsel. State-imposed laws in Illinois establish time limits that dictate how long a patient has to seek suit before a claim expires. This timeline is known as a statute of limitations. As it relates to Illinois medical malpractice law, victims generally have up to two years from the date at which the patient either knew, or should have known, about the injury. Those under the age of 18 may have up to eight years to file suit so long as the filing is carried out before the patient turns 22 years of age. Some exceptions apply.

Illinois Medical Malpractice Damages

Damages are "awards" that victims may be granted if they win their case in court for legitimate claims. While some states limit how much an injured patient may receive, Illinois does not have any such caps on compensatory damages at this time.

These damages may include but are not limited to:

Pain and suffering
Past and future medical bills
Rehab and physical therapy
Psychological therapy
Lost wages
Lost future earning potential
And more…

The Most Common Types of Medical Malpractice Claims in Illinois

A study conducted by the Illinois Department of Insurance found that the following five medical specialties were subject to the most claims:

Surgery
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Internal Medicine
General Practice; and
Anesthesiology

Sexner and Associates LLC– Experienced Lawyers that make a Difference

For over 25 years Sexner and Associates LLC has proudly and successfully represented victims of medical malpractice, fighting for the rights of their clients and the compensation they deserve. The firm was recently featured on the industry-leading business rating site "Three Best Rated" as one of Chicago's top three medical malpractice firms in 2019. Their team knows how difficult it can be to move forward after a medical malpractice injury and their compassionate team is dedicated to making sure their clients are heard in court.

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