While medical malpractice isn’t spoken about often, it’s unfortunately more common than you may think, and for those affected, the consequences of poor medical practice can leave a life changing negative impact. After all, we visit the doctor to feel better, and when things go wrong it’s easy to feel isolated and helpless. If you’ve found yourself in the difficult situation of being a victim of medical malpractice, it can be tough to know which way to turn, so we’ve created a guide to help you understand what steps you need to take now, to get your life back on track.
Document Your Injury
The first thing that you should do if you think you’ve been a victim of medical malpractice is document your injury or the impact of the malpractice as comprehensively as possible and as close to the event as you can. Taking dated pictures, getting a copy of your medical record and gathering any notes from meetings with medical professionals will help you to build a file of evidence that can be used to support you if you pursue legal action at any stage, and it’s also a good way for you to keep track of when different events occurred so that it’s easy to refer back to them with an attorney.
Consider the Financial Impact
When you’re assessing the impact that medical malpractice has had on your life, it’s easy to overlook the financial burden that may be caused by this life-changing event. Many individuals are so overwhelmed by the physical and mental challenges they face following a medical mistake that they forget to record how this will impact their finances, despite often needing specialist or long term care and in some cases losing the ability to continue in their line of work. By recording in detail how you’ve been impacted financially, as well as predicting how your future financial circumstances will be affected, you can fight a case with a clearer expectation of what you’d like to see by way of compensation.
Find an Attorney
Once you’ve compiled your documentation and worked out a rough idea of the financial costs that your injury has caused, it’s time to find a reputable attorney who specializes in the area of medical malpractice. It’s always better to reach out to an attorney as soon as possible, as they will be able to provide advice on any elements of your health journey that you should document to help your case. When searching for the right attorney, you should consider a range of factors, including the industry experience, extensive training and compassionate approach that a medical malpractice attorney in Chicago can offer to help you rebuild your life.
Suffering from a medical mistake is a damaging event that can have huge mental and physical health implications, so if you’re going through this then it’s important to prioritize working as effectively as possible to get justice through the legal system and start regaining control of your life. While medical malpractice cases can be difficult to fight, it will be worth it in the end. To make sure you’ve done everything you can to set yourself up for success, document your struggles as early as possible and hire a reputable, experienced attorney who can help you along the journey.
