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Chicago Medical Malpractice Attorneys > Illinois Hospital Bedsore Attorney

Illinois Hospital Bedsore Attorney

Pressure ulcers, which are open sores on the skin, often appear around the ankles, knees, and other bony parts of the body. Pretty much anyone could develop a bedsore. However, as long as people turn over in bed once every two hours, pressure ulcers cannot form. Unfortunately, many hospital patients are too ill or infirm to turn themselves over at night. Therefore, they are completely dependent on the medical staff in this important area.

Hospital understaffing often causes bedsores. Understaffing is especially a problem during nights, holidays, and other patient low-census periods. Instead of performing rounds every hour, the hospital staff might only check on patients a few times over a twelve-hour period. That’s not enough activity to prevent pressure ulcer development. Additionally, in understaffed environments, under -qualified workers often handle tasks like patient rounds. These workers may not be able to spot early stage bedsores and respond appropriately to these emergencies.

In contrast, the experienced Illinois hospital bedsore attorneys at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman have sufficient resources to successfully handle your personal injury claim. Large medical insurance companies and their gangs of attorneys do not intimidate us. We even have the resources to front most litigation costs, so victims initially pay nothing for top-notch legal representation. We also have the experience to settle your case. Over the years, our professional team has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for families just like yours.

What to Expect in a Legal Claim

As soon as victims reach out to us, we start building a legal claim for damages. We collect evidence, such as witness statements and medical records. We also carefully research the ever-changing law, so we know how to best fit these pieces of evidence together.

Since they are open sores, Stage III bedsores are often life-threatening. So, we also prioritize medical treatment. We connect victims with doctors even if they have no insurance or money.

Once medical treatment is at least mostly complete, we usually send a demand letter to the hospital’s insurance company. Basically, if the insurance company immediately agrees to compensate the victim, the victim signs a liability waiver. More on the amount of compensation below.

If liability, extent of injury, and other material issues are crystal clear, the claim may settle almost immediately. However, there are almost always at least a few questions in one or more of these areas. So, most medical malpractice claims go to court.

Although the claim goes to court, it probably will not go to trial. Informal settlement negotiations continue as the case progresses through the legal system. If it remains unresolved as the trial date approaches, most Cook County judges will refer the case to mediation.

Basically, mediation is a court-supervised settlement negotiation session. Both sides have a legal duty to negotiate in good faith. As a result, mediation is about 90 percent successful.

Endgame: Damages Available

Medical treatment for bedsores is very invasive and therefore very expensive. Victims must be able to pay these bills, and this money should not come out of their own pockets. Compensation is available for these and other economic losses, such as missed work and property damage.

Additionally, negligent parties are liable (responsible) for noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment in life, and emotional distress. To determine a fair amount for such losses, most Chicago hospital bedsore attorneys multiply the economic losses by two, three, or four, largely depending on the facts of the case.

Finally, punitive damages are usually available in medical negligence claims. These damages punish negligent parties and deter future misconduct. In other words, punitive damages protect other hospital patients, so they don’t endure the same pain and suffering.

Reach out to a Diligent Chicago Cook County Attorney

Injury victims are usually entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced hospital bedsore attorney in Chicago, contact Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman by going online or calling 410-567-0800. Virtual, home, and after-hours visits are available.

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