The risks of preeclampsia to a mother and baby are significant. If not properly diagnosed or promptly treated, the complications could result in mental and cognitive impairment for the baby, or even death of mother and/or child.
If this traumatic episode happened to you or someone you love while in a hospital within the state of Illinois, you have the right to seek compensation for damages. But where do you begin? What questions should you ask, and where do you turn for help?
Laws Vary by State, But Not Within States
The first thing to keep in mind is that laws vary greatly by state, so circumstances that apply in other states may not be relevant with cases that occur in Illinois.
With that in mind, however, understand that the same laws that govern hospitals and doctors in Chicago and Cook County are also going to apply to physicians in Peoria, Champaign or any of the 102 other counties in Illinois.
From a practical standpoint, this means that if you think you might have a preeclampsia malpractice claim in Lake County to the north or Alexander County at the southern tip of the state, you can draw upon the expertise of a qualified firm of trial lawyers within the state to assist with your case.
Therefore, it’s of the utmost importance to choose your state’s top medical malpractice attorneys—with deep experience in complex preeclampsia cases.
What Should You Look For?
Hospitals and medical professionals have armies of attorneys on their side, making the concept of filing a malpractice suit feel like a daunting proposition. Fortunately, there are law firms with the resources capable of taking on the hospital and medical staff that was negligent in your care.
Filing a lawsuit against a doctor or hospital does not mean you are against the medical profession itself. Rather, it is an acknowledgement that you need help with the economic and personal consequences of a hospital or doctor’s medical negligence.
When considering an attorney to argue on your behalf, you should consider their experience, local expertise as well as their ability to draw upon expert testimony from across the country.
Hurley McKenna & Mertz has a lengthy track record of securing compensation for victims of medical malpractice in Illinois, including:
- A $14 million verdict for a 14-year-old boy for brain injury caused by medical malpractice at the time of his birth after an obstetrician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago failed to perform a timely Cesarean section.
- A $13 million settlement for a girl who suffered a brain injury when a federally employed obstetrician waited too long to deliver her, when her mother suffered a placental abruption and the obstetrician thought the baby was dead.
- An $11 million structured settlement for a child with a brain injury suffered at a Chicago hospital when obstetricians and nurses failed to detect the baby was in a breech position and the umbilical cord was trapped, resulting in a loss of oxygen to the baby prior to delivery.
- A $10.5 million settlement in a case where negligent genetic advice resulted in the birth of a child with severe disabilities.
If you or someone you love suffered injury as the result of a negligent preeclampsia diagnosis, contact us today. Allow us to examine your case and help you find justice.
