When medical treatment goes badly, it can be difficult to know whether what happened to you was medical malpractice or not. Medical treatment is not totally predictable, and even excellent treatment can’t guarantee a full recovery.
Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor, nurse, hospital, or other medical provider does not meet the accepted standard of care, and as a result, causes a patient harm. The “standard of care” refers to the level of care that a similarly qualified medical professional would have given in the same situation.
You are not expected to understand medical records or know on your own whether a medical provider made a serious mistake. But an experienced Oak Park medical malpractice lawyer can review what happened, and help you decide whether taking legal action makes sense.
Does a Bad Medical Outcome Automatically Mean Malpractice?
Medical treatment may fail even when a doctor does everything right. A patient may also develop a complication that could not have been prevented.