Medical experts play a critical role in most medical malpractice lawsuits, as well as personal injury claims. In fact, many jurisdictions require medical testimony in order to bring a medical malpractice lawsuit in the first place.
First, a medical expert is needed to prove liability. In a medical malpractice claim, the plaintiff must show that:
- The doctor or health care provider had a duty to provide appropriate medical care;
- The doctor or health care provider deviated from the appropriate standard of care; and
- The patient was injured as a direct result of the substandard medical care.
According, in a medical malpractice lawsuit, the medical expert will be used to provide testimony regarding the duty of care that was owed to the plaintiff and whether or not it was breached. The medical expert will testify as to the appropriate standard of care in a given situation and whether the defendant’s conduct deviated from that standard of care.
Second, the medical expert will provide testimony regarding the plaintiff’s injuries. Because medical malpractice, as well as personal injury lawsuits, require that the plaintiff prove that his or her injuries were caused by the defendant’s negligence, the medical expert is used to provide testimony regarding the cause, nature, and extent of the plaintiff’s injuries.
Third, the testimony of a medical expert is also critical in substantiating the extent of the plaintiff’s damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages (past and future)
- Property damages
- Disfigurement
- Disability
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of normal life
Contact a Medical Malpractice Lawyer
The Chicago medical malpractice lawyers at Cogan & Power, P.C. are committed to providing the highest quality legal representation in an intimate and supportive environment. Our team of Chicago medical malpractice attorneys collaborates throughout every case and includes former defense lawyers, former in-house counsel at a well-respected teaching hospital, and a former obstetrical nurse, all of whom have extensive experience handling medical malpractice and other personal injury cases. As a result of our experience, we have a vast network of physicians and medical experts on which we draw experience and information.
We have obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of the victims of medical malpractice, including an $11.4 million settlement for a man whose cervical cord was injured when his head fell from the head-holder during surgery, a nearly $10 million verdict for a medical student who suffers from complex regional pain syndrome, and a $7.650 million verdict in a birth injury case in which a baby suffered from cerebral palsy caused by obstetrical negligence.
If you a loved one were the victim of medical negligence, contact Cogan & Power at (312) 477-2500 to schedule an appointment with one of our knowledgeable Chicago medical malpractice attorneys. If you cannot come to our offices in downtown Chicago, we will come to you. And because we take cases on a contingency basis, you will not pay any fee unless we get you compensation.
