A medical malpractice claim can be filed if a physician or other medical professional commits medical negligence that leads to injuries or the death of a patient. While some medical malpractice claims are based on the actions of a single medical professional alone, there are circumstances where a hospital is liable for the medical malpractice that occurred within their walls.
Sometimes hospital medical negligence results from just 1 staff member; however, it can also be the result of more than 1 medical professional. Some of the medical professionals who may be responsible for medical negligence in a hospital include:
- Doctors
- Surgeons
- Nurses
- Technicians
- Any other hospital staff member
Contact a Chicago medical malpractice attorney if you have been the victim of medical negligence in a Chicago hospital to discuss your potential case.
Compensation from a Hospital Malpractice Lawsuit
If you are the victim of hospital medical malpractice, you may have suffered physical, emotional and financial trauma. You may also be eligible to recover compensation due to these damages. Some types of compensation that you may recover in a hospital malpractice lawsuit include:
- Medical costs (present and future)
- Lost wages (present and future)
- Therapy (emotional or physical)
Assessing damages for pain and suffering in a hospital malpractice claim may be difficult, so you need a qualified medical malpractice lawyer in Chicago to investigate your claim. An attorney will help you to gather the evidence you need to prove a hospital malpractice.
A variety of factors can help determine the amount of damages for pain and suffering such as:
- Any pre-existing injuries;
- Whether or not the injuries altered your normal or daily activities;
- Victim’s job;
- Age of the victim and
- Victim’s income.
Preventing Equipment Failure in a Chicago Hospital
As with all types of medical errors, prevention is of utmost importance when it comes to addressing this public health issue and common source of Chicago medical malpractice cases. Some hospitals have even developed safety teams to address medical equipment failure. These teams focus solely on making sure that hospital equipment is functioning properly and is properly maintained to protect patients’ safety.
Some of the specific ways that equipment failure in a Chicago hospital could be prevented include:
- developing hospital policies concerning the care and safety of hospital equipment;
- keeping an inventory on equipment that is at risk of failing;
- performing regular checks/maintenance on equipment;
- training all medical professionals on the proper way to operate and use hospital equipment; and
- teaching patients what they should expect from the equipment (including sounds or actions so they know when something is not working properly).
Patients should feel comfortable asking questions and raising concerns when it comes to the use of hospital equipment. They have the right to understand why certain hospital equipment is being used and what they can expect from it.
Medical Negligence and Equipment Failure in a Chicago Hospital
Most instances of equipment failure in a Chicago hospital are due to human error, or medical negligence. When Chicago medical professionals fail to properly operate hospital equipment, don’t understand what the alarms and beeps indicate, or don’t carefully monitor a patient, there is the risk that hospital equipment may fail.
Chicago medical negligence can occur for a number of reasons, some of them being:
- understaffed facility;
- overworked staff;
- staff fatigue;
- miscommunication with either patients or other medical staff;
- medical personnel are in a rush;
- poor notations written in patient charts/records;
- carelessness;
- recklessness;
- too many patients; and
- lack of training and experience.
If you have undergone a medical procedure and experienced further injury because of equipment failure in a Chicago hospital, you should consult with a Chicago medical malpractice lawyer. A Chicago medical malpractice lawyer is well-versed in the most frequent types of medical negligence that can occur and will be able to help you identify the liable parties from whom you can seek compensation.
Contacting a Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer
At the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C, our Chicago medical malpractice lawyer team will examine all aspects of your claim, determine liability, and aggressively pursue the full amount of compensation due to you or your loved one for any injuries or loss of life due to Chicago medical malpractice. Contact us today for a free case evaluation – 312-263-1080.
