The term “medical malpractice” is a big one that you may have heard thrown around a lot in TV shows, movies, or even around your hospital. Whether or not you knew the term before, the truth is that you should not take the matter of medical malpractice lightly; after all, it may have happened to you. So how do you know what malpractice is, and how it affects you personally? How can you know if you have been a victim? Here are things that you really should know about malpractice.
What, in Fact, Medical Malpractice Is
Before you rush off to a lawyer and demand financial recompense for every little sniffle that a doctor could not cure, you should learn what medical malpractice really is. Malpractice occurs when the provider for medical services, such as a doctor or surgeon, does not provide care that meets whatever the state has declared as the “standard of care.” This happens when a patient actually suffers further illness or physical harm due to the neglect of the doctor, surgeon, nurse, or even medical institution.
Whether You Have Been a Victim of Medical Malpractice
Even though you may have suffered a bad surgery or some such, it does not automatically qualify you to pursue malpractice claims. Some procedures are dangerous, or do not have a guaranteed rate of success, and may not qualify as neglect. You will have to consult with Chicago medical malpractice lawyers and other doctors to determine if you do have a malpractice case.
You Will Need the Word of another Doctor
Unless you are a certified doctor yourself, and even sometimes if you are, the courts will not accept just your testimony alone. To determine whether it qualifies as malpractice, you will need to consult with another doctor or surgeon to confirm that you have suffered from negligence.
You Will Need to Act Soon
In many cases, states have laws limiting how long you can go after the malpractice occurred before you can no longer submit a legal case on the subject. If you suspect that you have been the victim of malpractice and medical neglect, then waste no time in looking into it. The process that you have to complete beforehand can sometimes take a while, so you need to move quickly.
Prevent Further Malpractice
Now that you know about malpractice, you have to do everything you can to make sure it never happens to you again. This means that you need to become more involved in your health care. To do this, you need to work with your doctor or surgeon to make sure that you understand exactly what is happening to you, and what they plan to do about it. This will both keep you informed and keep them responsible.
As you can see, malpractice is something to take very seriously. You should not face it alone, so contact an experienced legal professional to consult what you should do about your personal circumstances.
The Chicago medical malpractice lawyers at the Shea Law Group are empathetic to your needs when it comes to your injuries. Call them today to find out what they can do to make sure you receive fair compensation.
