Medical Malpractice | Cirignani Heller & Harman, LLP

Have you ever requested your medical records, but had trouble actually receiving them? Or perhaps you did receive the records but had to pay a hefty fee for them? Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, you have a right to view and get copies of all of your medical records, […]

The phrase, “It takes a village,” is used to describe the demands of properly raising a child. But this phrase is also true in the healthcare industry where it takes a seemingly endless number of professionals to treat just one patient. For example, if a patient requires knee surgery, they’ve likely encountered several doctors before […]

There’s nothing new about the idea that fatigue makes us more prone to mistakes. We know that when we’re exhausted, we lack focus and suffer from impaired judgment. For most people, fatigue-related errors have only minor consequences. But for those whose decision-making abilities determine the wellbeing of others, this is a potentially catastrophic problem. A […]

If you, or someone you love, are the victim of medical malpractice, finding a good medical malpractice lawyer is very important. If you are like most people the only thing you know about medical malpractice law is what you have seen on TV commercials and billboards. Most of those advertisements will give you the impression […]

Have you ever heard the term standard of care? If you are not a lawyer or a doctor, you probably haven’t. Now try this, the next time you take your car to the mechanic ask him if there are rules or procedures in his profession regarding how to properly change oil, do a tune-up, or […]

If the truth was found in billboards one would think the key qualities for a medical malpractice lawyer are clenched fists (preferably around hundred dollar bills) and the willingness to kick butt. These, however, are the last characteristics I would look for if I needed a medical malpractice lawyer. No matter what you’ve heard (or […]

A spinal cord injury is a terrible event.  It will change victims’ lives dramatically, leaving them to deal with problems like difficulty breathing, paralysis, and often bouts of severe pain.  Every year around 17,000 spinal cord injuries (SCI) occur in the United States. Unfortunately, 5% of those injuries occur as a result of medical/surgical procedures. […]

Understanding medical malpractice and why it happens can be difficult. This post and infographic will hopefully help. When we go to a doctor or hospital, we put our faith in the ability of our doctors to provide us with a certain level of skilled health care. We do so because one of the most fundamental […]

Medical malpractice cases are unique because the law requires expert testimony from a doctor in order to pursue a case against a doctor or a hospital. These cases frequently require several medical malpractice experts. The fees for experts can range anywhere from $500.00 to $1,000.00 an hour. It is not uncommon for the total expenses […]

Medical Expertise Helps Identify Doctor Errors During Surgery. There are many reasons for surgical errors. One is the failure of the surgeon to recognize that a postoperative complication is related to the surgery itself. Some complications occur because a surgeon fails to recognize the unusual anatomy of an individual patient and ends up either cutting something […]

Informed consent is an important part of the doctor-patient relationship. Patients should be able to trust and rely on their doctors to use their extensive training and experience to heal them. That does not mean patients should be left in the dark when it comes to making medical decisions. Informed Consent is an important part […]

Surgeries are never risk-free. They can result in unintended injuries, even under the best care; however, there are some types of injuries that raise an immediate red flag to medical malpractice lawyers. Brain injuries during surgery are one of those types of “red-flag” injuries. They are the type of injury that should almost never occur, […]

Victims of Medical Malpractice Often Need Help Overcoming Guilt When a client comes to talk to us about whether they should file a medical malpractice case or not, one of the greatest hurdles that we have to overcome right away is guilt. Surprisingly, when we talk to people about the fact that doctors were responsible […]

Analyzing Records for Medical Malpractice Victims The essence of evaluating a medical malpractice case is determining what happened and how the injury occurred. We have a great deal of experience in practicing medicine. We understand how the health care system works, how people keep records, and this knowledge is very valuable to try to determine, in […]

Chicago Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyers The number of cases that actually go to trial are small. Trying medical malpractice cases is expensive, it’s difficult, and they are easy to lose if you don’t know what you’re doing. Very few lawyers are actual true trial lawyers. The majority of lawyers attempt to settle the case to […]

Working with Victims of Medical Malpractice The process of a medical malpractice case begins when our clients meet with one of the partners at CHH. After a thorough interview, we obtain all the medical records and have them reviewed by the appropriate medical specialists. If after that review we determine that there is, in fact, […]

A bad medical outcome is an unfortunate result of receiving medical care.  Every patient that receives medical care does so with the intention to get better and heal. When that doesn’t happen patients can rightfully be very frustrated. While a bad medical outcome does not always mean that medical malpractice has occurred it may be […]

Complications and bad outcomes are always a possibility in medical treatment. When doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals fail to adhere to an established standard of care and that leads to injury, illness or death, it is a case of medical malpractice. Malpractice can take place at almost any stage of medical treatment — from […]

How Long Does a Medical Malpractice Case Take? It is impossible to predict exactly how long any one particular medical malpractice case will take to finish. All cases are different and it depends on how complex the case is. A typical range that it takes to complete a medical malpractice case is between two to […]

As a victim of medical malpractice, you may find yourself overwhelmed. Coping with the new reality you find yourself is difficult. Adding the complexity of a medical malpractice lawsuit may just feel like more than you can bear. Having a good lawyer on your side will make all the difference. So, how do you find […]