When surgical mistakes leave you with serious injuries, permanent complications, or mounting medical bills, you need a legal team that understands what went wrong in the operating room-and can prove it. CHH Law's chicago surgical error attorneys combine over 40 years of medical malpractice litigation with something most firms cannot offer: medically trained attorneys, including a licensed physician and a certified respiratory therapist, who read surgical records the way clinicians do. For patients across the Chicago area who have suffered from preventable surgical errors, that difference defines the outcome of a case.
At Cirignani, Heller & Harman, LLP, our law firm brings over 40 years of experience handling the most complex cases in Chicago, backed by a legal team that includes a licensed physicians and a certified respiratory therapist who are also attorneys. When surgical errors result in traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, or other life-altering harm, CHH Law has the medical and legal firepower to pursue maximum compensation on your behalf.
our medically trained attorneys read medical records like clinicians, spotting errors other lawyers miss, which accelerates case evaluation and strengthens evidence from the start.
we handle complex surgical errors that cause life-changing injuries, including permanent disability, irreversible brain damage, and even death, where the stakes and the complexity are highest.
with decades handling medical malpractice cases across Cook County, we understand local hospitals, surgical centers, jury expectations, and the medical culture at institutions like Northwestern, UChicago Medicine, and Cook County Health. as well as every major hospital system, including Advocate, Duly, Endeavor, OSF Healthcare, Carle Health, Loyola, Ascension, Cook County Health, and Memorial Health in Springfield.
we look beyond the surgeon to examine the entire surgical team, hospital policies, equipment manufacturers, and other medical professionals whose negligence may have contributed to your harm.
CHH Law approaches every surgical error case by combining medical analysis with aggressive legal strategy. Whether you suffered from a wrong site surgery, a retained instrument, an anesthesia error, or a post-surgical infection, our team builds your claim from the medical evidence up. With approximately 4,000 surgical errors occurring in U.S. hospitals each year out of over 50 million annual surgeries, many surgical errors are preventable-and those responsible must be held accountable.
A surgical error occurs when a surgeon operates on the wrong body part, the wrong patient, or performs the wrong procedure entirely. The Agency for Healthcare Research classifies wrong-site surgery as a "never event"-something that should never happen in a properly managed facility. When a surgeon removes the wrong organ, operates on the wrong part of the spine, or amputates the wrong limb, negligence is often clear. These cases frequently result in additional surgery, permanent disability, and extensive future medical bills. Our attorneys pursue full compensation for corrective procedures and the physical and emotional trauma of such errors.
When foreign objects-sponges, clamps, scalpels, or other tools-are left inside a patient's body after surgery, the consequences can be devastating. Retained surgical instruments cause internal bleeding, infection, damage to internal organs, and chronic pain that may not surface for weeks or months. Patients often require multiple follow-up surgeries to locate and remove these objects, along with treatment for the complications they cause. Documentation needed for a malpractice case of this type includes medical records, imaging studies, and operative reports, all of which our medically trained attorneys review directly.
Surgical negligence doesn't always happen in the operating room. When health care providers fail to follow sterile procedures, implement inadequate infection control protocols, or delay treatment for signs of post-operative infection, patients suffer serious harm-including sepsis, organ damage, and extended hospitalizations. Surgical errors cost the U.S. healthcare industry $1.3 billion annually, and a significant portion of that figure stems from preventable infections. Our team reviews hospital infection control policies, staffing records, and clinical timelines to build these cases.
Pursuing a medical malpractice claim for surgical errors requires precision at every stage. CHH Law follows a systematic process designed to build the strongest possible case-from your first call through trial if necessary.
Your case begins with a free consultation where our medically trained attorneys analyze your surgical records, anesthesia logs, nursing notes, and imaging studies. We reconstruct a comprehensive timeline of events before, during, and after surgery. Because Illinois law requires an affidavit of merit from a qualified medical professional confirming that negligence occurred, our in-house medical knowledge lets us assess case viability quickly and accurately. Consulting a lawyer early increases the chances of building a strong case-critical evidence can be lost or altered over time.
Once we identify the breach in the standard of care, we collaborate with leading medical experts to establish precisely how the surgical team deviated from accepted practices. Expert testimony is crucial in establishing the standard of care that was breached. We gather operative reports, anesthesia records, hospital staffing data, equipment maintenance logs, and facility policies. Every element of your damages-current medical costs, future medical bills, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and pain-is documented thoroughly. Surgical error claims require evidence proving duty, breach, causation, and damages, and we build each element methodically.
Settlement often occurs before a trial in surgical error cases, but only when the offer reflects the true value of your injuries. Effective medical malpractice attorneys have trial experience to secure favorable settlements-opposing counsel knows whether your lawyers are prepared to go to court. CHH Law pursues maximum compensation through aggressive negotiation, and when hospitals or insurers refuse fair compensation, our experienced courtroom advocates are ready for trial.
Medical errors cause over 250,000 deaths annually in the U.S., and over 400,000 hospitalized patients experience preventable harm each year. Behind these numbers are real patients and families whose lives were changed by surgical mistakes. CHH Law has secured significant results in complex medical malpractice cases, including:
Multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for catastrophic surgical errors causing permanent disability, nerve damage, and loss of earning capacity
Successful outcomes against major Chicago hospitals and prominent surgeons in cases involving wrong-site operations, retained instruments, and failed anesthesia protocols
Results in cases involving medical device failures during surgery, holding manufacturers and hospitals jointly accountable
Recoveries encompassing full economic damages-including corrective surgeries, lifetime medical care, and lost income-as well as non economic damages for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life
For context, Illinois verdicts in surgical error cases can be substantial. In one Illinois case, a family received over $56 million after a patient died from undetected internal bleeding following cosmetic surgery. In another, a patient injured by a trocar during a laparoscopic procedure was awarded over $8.7 million for chronic pain and complications.
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I can't say enough about how pleased my sister and I are with our experience with Dan. Very compassionate, hard-working, and the settlement exceeded our expectations.
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Dan dug deep in our files, fought tooth and nail, and found the necessary nuances by which we were able to attain our justice.
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The impressive team of CHH attorneys and medical experts diligently sought out arguments for my case, which resulted in a settlement beyond my expectations.
CHH Law represents patients harmed by surgical negligence across the greater Chicago area, including:
Downtown Chicago, the Loop, and Near North Side
Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, and River North
South Side communities including Hyde Park and Bronzeville
West Side areas including West Loop and Garfield Park
North Shore suburbs including Evanston and Skokie
Northwest suburbs including Schaumburg and Arlington Heights
Southwest suburbs including Oak Lawn and Orland Park
No matter which Chicago hospital or surgical center was involved, our surgical error attorneys understand the local landscape and are ready to help you explore your legal options.
Under 735 ILCS 5/13-212, Illinois law allows two years from the date you discovered (or reasonably should have discovered) your injury to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. However, a hard four-year statute of repose applies from the date of the act or omission-regardless of when the injury was found. For minors, the deadline extends to eight years from the date of malpractice, but no later than the child's 22nd birthday. Because these deadlines are strict and cannot be extended, immediate consultation is essential to protect your filing rights.
Known risks of surgery do not excuse surgical negligence or preventable errors. Every surgical procedure carries inherent risks, but when a surgeon or surgical team fails to follow accepted protocols, uses equipment improperly, or ignores warning signs, those outcomes constitute medical malpractice-not acceptable risk. Our medically trained legal team can distinguish between complications that fall within the standard of care and those caused by negligence. We also examine whether informed consent was properly obtained and whether all risks were adequately disclosed.
Most medical malpractice lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, and CHH Law is no exception. You pay no attorney fees unless we secure compensation for your injuries. Initial consultations are always free, with no obligation to proceed. This structure means patients who have already been burdened by unnecessary harm and unexpected medical costs can pursue compensation without financial risk. Poor communication can be a red flag when choosing a lawyer-at CHH Law, you'll receive clear, direct guidance from the start.
Victims can pursue economic damages for financial losses, including medical expenses for corrective surgeries and ongoing treatment, lost wages and lost income during recovery, and reduced earning capacity if your injuries are permanent. Patients may incur high costs for additional surgeries due to errors, and all of these costs are recoverable. Non-economic damages address physical and emotional suffering-pain, emotional distress, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. Illinois does not cap compensatory damages in medical malpractice cases, meaning recovery reflects the full scope of your harm. In wrongful death cases, family members can seek compensation for loss of support and companionship. Punitive damages may also apply for reckless medical behavior.
