If you're considering or pursuing a medical malpractice case, you're no doubt wondering how much your case is worth. This is one of the main questions attorneys hear, and also one of the hardest questions for us to answer. Here are some things to consider.
1
Economic damages
This is the easy part, relatively speaking. Economic damages are specific and related to your financial harm. They include medical bills and lost wages. Because these things are documented and easily proven, there is often little dispute about the amount of economic damages. One sub-category is less clear: future earnings and future medical treatment. Injured parties often ask to be compensated for these things, but since speculation is involved, there is room for dispute.
2
Non-economic damages
Non-economic damages are non-monetary, such as pain and suffering. When you seek non-economic damages, you are asking to be paid for your pain. Obviously, this is not easily translated into a dollar amount and parties often disagree.
3
Location
Medical malpractice lawsuits in urban areas are generally worth more than those in more rural areas. In other words, a case in Cook County is probably worth more than the same case would be worth downstate. This isn't to say that the injured individual deserves more or less depending on where they live; it's just a reality. Juries in smaller towns are more conservative in what they award and tend to side with the doctor or hospital more often.
4
Choice of attorney
We strongly believe that having an experienced attorney makes a difference. If you have a Chicago malpractice case, hire a Chicago attorney who has a track record of success in winning awards for their clients. Experienced, successful attorneys will have better luck negotiating with the insurance company, and they will have access to the best experts, who are needed to make your case.
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