Award-Winning Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer - Securing Justice
for Illinois Injury Victims - Over $450 Million Recovered
When a hospital, doctor, or other healthcare provider fails to meet the standard of care, the consequences can change a life forever. At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we have spent decades standing up for patients and families across Cook County, earning a reputation as the go-to Chicago medical malpractice lawyer for those seeking justice.
Our team has taken on some of the largest hospitals in the city—from Northwestern Memorial to Rush University Medical Center—holding them accountable for preventable errors, from surgical mistakes to fatal misdiagnoses.
We understand the complex nature of medical malpractice claims and bring the resources, trial experience, and relentless advocacy needed to fight for maximum compensation for our clients. Contact us for a free consultation today!
At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we’ve helped families in Chicago achieve justice after devastating medical malpractice cases. Each of these results reflects both the harm caused by negligent medical providers and our determination to secure maximum recovery for our clients.
$12,000,000 – Chicago Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Error
Our client, Michael, underwent cardio-thoracic surgery at a major Chicago hospital. Due to a surgical mistake, he suffered a severe brain injury and required a below-the-knee amputation. The case’s value was impacted by the extent of his lifelong medical needs and loss of independence.
$9,000,000 – Emergency Room Fatality
Robert, a 63-year-old grandfather, went to a Chicago emergency department with chest pain. After only a brief examination, the physician sent him home. Hours later, he died from a heart attack. The settlement reflected the hospital’s failure to follow accepted diagnostic protocols and the emotional and financial impact on his family.
$7,500,000 – Maternal Death During Childbirth
At a Chicago-area hospital, Samantha tragically died during delivery when an OB/GYN and nursing staff failed to identify and treat hemorrhaging. She left behind a husband and newborn child. The outcome considered both the clear breach of care and the profound loss to her surviving family.
$5,000,000 – Failure to Diagnose Lung Cancer
Our client, Linda, a 55-year-old woman, had multiple chest x-rays taken over two years at a Chicago clinic. Radiology staff missed clear signs of a tumor, delaying diagnosis until it was too late for effective treatment. The delay shortened her life expectancy and caused unnecessary suffering.
$4,900,000 – Post-Surgical Monitoring Failure
After heart surgery, Daniel was left unmonitored in recovery when staff failed to connect his breathing sensors properly. His distress went unnoticed, leading to his death. This Chicago hospital’s lack of adequate post-operative care directly increased the case value.
$4,250,000 – Hospital Fall Fatality
Mary was recovering from surgery when she attempted to walk to the bathroom alone at a Chicago hospital. Without staff assistance, she fell, suffered a subdural hematoma, and died. The settlement accounted for clear violations of fall-prevention policies.
$3,245,000 – Bed Sore Negligence
Our client, Thomas, developed severe bed sores while admitted to a long-term care hospital in Chicago. Poor staffing and a lack of repositioning protocols led to the injuries. The case’s resolution reflected both his suffering and the preventable nature of the harm.
At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we’ve earned our reputation as top-rated Chicago medical malpractice attorneys by consistently delivering exceptional results for injured patients and their families.
For nearly 25 years, our law firm has stood up to some of the most prominent Chicago hospitals and medical professionals, recovering more than $450 million in verdicts and settlements in medical malpractice cases, nursing negligence claims, and other serious injury matters.
Our accolades reflect our relentless commitment to our clients:
Our Chicago attorneys represent clients in a wide range of medical malpractice cases, holding negligent medical providers accountable across the city’s top hospitals and clinics. Each type of claim requires its own strategy, expert testimony, and understanding of complex medical standards.
Mistakes during anesthesia administration can lead to brain damage, cardiac arrest, or even wrongful death. We’ve handled cases involving incorrect dosages, failure to monitor a patient’s vital signs, and improper pre-surgery assessments.
We fight for families impacted by preventable birth injuries caused by OB/GYN negligence. This includes cases of cerebral palsy, shoulder dystocia, and brachial plexus injuries. We also handle claims involving missed genetic testing results and failure to monitor mother and child during labor and delivery.
Delayed diagnosis, failure to diagnose, and wrong diagnosis can all have devastating consequences. Our cases often involve radiology errors, overlooked lab results, or misinterpreted scans, all of which are errors that allow a patient’s medical condition to progress untreated.
From wrong medication administration to delayed treatment of life-threatening conditions, ER negligence can turn a critical moment into a tragedy.
Unsanitary conditions, inadequate staffing, and poor infection control protocols can lead to severe sepsis, organ failure, and wrongful death.
Medication errors like prescribing the wrong drug, incorrect dosage, or harmful drug interactions can all cause catastrophic harm.
Neglect in administering medications, monitoring patients, or following care plans can lead to severe injuries, especially in vulnerable populations.
Our team has handled everything from operating on the wrong site to errors in plastic surgery procedures. Surgery error cases often require detailed review of surgical records and expert surgical testimony.
When medical negligence results in loss of life, we help surviving family members pursue justice through a wrongful death lawsuit.
From world-class medical centers like Northwestern Memorial and Rush University Medical Center to neighborhood clinics, even trusted medical professionals can make devastating mistakes. The most frequent causes of medical malpractice cases we see in Chicago include:
Our role as medical negligence lawyers is to uncover the root cause, show how it violated the standard of care, and prove that it directly caused harm. When we file a medical malpractice claim, we often discover that these failures were entirely preventable with proper training, oversight, and compliance with safety protocols.
The harm from medical malpractice can be life-altering. In our work as Chicago medical malpractice lawyers, we’ve seen injuries ranging from temporary setbacks to catastrophic, permanent conditions. Some of the most common include:
When pursuing medical malpractice lawsuits, we work closely with medical experts to document the full impact of these injuries—both immediate and long-term—so our clients can recover damages for medical bills, lost income, and the physical and emotional toll they endure.
Victims of medical malpractice in Chicago have the right to pursue both economic and non-economic damages when negligence by medical professionals causes harm. Our role as medical malpractice lawyers is to prove the full scope of losses and fight for every dollar our clients deserve.
Economic damages cover measurable financial losses, such as:
Non-economic damages address the personal and emotional impact of injuries, including:
Illinois previously had caps on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases, but in 2010, the Illinois Supreme Court, in Lebron v. Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, struck them down. This means our experienced medical malpractice lawyers can seek the full value of your claim without arbitrary limits.
Whether a case involves a wrongful death, birth injury, or a delayed diagnosis, we work to connect each loss to the negligence that caused it, ensuring our clients get fair and complete compensation.
Based on recent results, the average payout for medical malpractice in Chicago is approximately $6,278,493, with a median of $2,543,653. Case values range widely—from as low as $85,000 to over $55 million—depending on factors like:
Our role as medical malpractice attorneys is to maximize every client’s recovery by fully documenting both economic and non-economic damages and showing exactly how medical negligence caused them.
$56,000,001 – Plastic Surgery Complication and Wrongful Death
Idalia Corcoles, 39, died after a cosmetic abdominoplasty at a Chicago clinic. Her condition deteriorated in the post-anesthesia unit, showing classic signs of internal bleeding. Staff failed to act until she was critically unstable, and by the time she was transferred to a hospital, it was too late. She left behind her husband and four children. The jury’s award included damages for loss of society, grief, and emotional distress.
$41,149,042 – Stroke Following Improper Blood Thinner Management
Craig Pierce, 72, suffered a massive stroke after his medical team at multiple Chicago facilities failed to properly monitor his INR blood levels while on anticoagulants. The stroke left him paralyzed on one side with severe cognitive deficits. His verdict included past and future medical costs, pain and suffering, disfigurement, and loss of normal life.
$19,858,000 – Birth Injury and Cerebral Palsy
Hannah Housen was born at the University of Chicago Medical Center after a high-risk delivery involving improper internal podalic version and delayed recognition of fetal distress. She suffered hypoxia and multiple fractures at birth, leading to permanent brain injuries and cerebral palsy. The award reflected the cost of lifelong care, pain and suffering, and loss of normal life.
$6,468,911 – Orthopedic Surgery Error and Lifelong Mobility Loss
Thomas Augustine, 58, underwent a right hip replacement at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. During surgery, the orthopedic surgeon implanted an acetabular cup that was the wrong size and positioned it incorrectly, causing it to protrude outward. The surgeon attributed Augustine’s pain to other issues, leading to two unnecessary procedures before another specialist identified the problem. By the time the hip replacement was revised, Augustine suffered permanent gait impairment and the need for multiple additional surgeries, including a knee arthroscopy, a knee replacement, and a lumbar fusion. He now requires a cane to walk and can no longer participate in activities he once enjoyed.
Medical malpractice cases are among the most complex in civil litigation. Proving a successful claim demands establishing the professional standard of care, proving a breach by medical professionals, and linking that breach directly to the injury or death.
Our team has decades of experience taking on hospitals, surgeons, nurses, and other medical providers in high-stakes medical malpractice lawsuits. We handle the full investigative process, which often includes:
Healthcare institutions have powerful legal teams whose job is to protect their reputations and minimize payouts. Without an experienced medical malpractice attorney, injured patients and grieving families can quickly become overwhelmed by procedural requirements and aggressive defense tactics.
When our law firm takes on a medical negligence case, we commit the full resources of our legal team—from medical experts to trial attorneys—to ensure your voice is heard and your rights are protected.
Illinois consistently ranks among the states with the highest number of medical malpractice claims. In 2024 alone, there were 434 reports with total payouts of approximately $283.51 million, averaging $650,000 per claim. These numbers place Illinois near the top for both total compensation and claim frequency.
Nationally, medical malpractice-related costs account for an estimated $60 billion annually, or roughly 2% to 3% of total healthcare spending—and that figure doesn’t include the billions spent on “defensive medicine,” such as unnecessary tests ordered to avoid lawsuits.
Statistics also show the uphill battle victims face in court. Over the past three decades, studies have found that physicians win 80–90% of jury trials when evidence of medical negligence is considered weak, about 70% of borderline cases, and 50% even when the evidence is strong.
This is exactly why having a skilled medical malpractice attorney is critical. Winning cases involving medical errors requires both airtight evidence and a strategic legal approach.
While medical malpractice can happen in any healthcare setting, certain facilities see more reported incidents due to their size, patient volume, and the complexity of procedures performed. In our work as Chicago medical malpractice lawyers, we’ve handled cases involving:
Other locations where medical malpractice claims arise include community hospitals, urgent care centers, outpatient surgical facilities, and long-term care institutions. Whether the negligence involves a healthcare provider failing to diagnose a life-threatening condition or a post-surgical infection caused by poor protocols, our legal team investigates every detail to hold these institutions accountable.
When we handle medical malpractice cases in Chicago, one of the first steps is making sure every legal requirement is met. Illinois law has specific rules for how these claims must be filed, and missing even one step can jeopardize a case.
Under 735 ILCS 5/2-622, anyone filing a medical malpractice lawsuit must include an “affidavit of merit.” This affidavit confirms that a qualified medical professional has reviewed the facts and believes there is a reasonable basis for the claim. It’s designed to prevent frivolous lawsuits, but it also means that hiring an attorney early is crucial. We need time to secure the right expert review before the filing deadline.
Patients are also protected by the Illinois Medical Patient Rights Act (410 ILCS 50/), which requires informed consent before a medical procedure, except in true emergencies. This law gives patients the right to understand the risks, benefits, and alternatives to treatment before agreeing to it. When a medical provider skips this step, it can form the foundation for a strong medical negligence claim.
In some situations, the Res Ipsa Loquitur Doctrine applies. This legal principle allows a jury to infer negligence when the type of injury simply doesn’t happen without someone making a mistake, such as leaving a surgical instrument inside a patient.
Finally, Chicago’s own municipal regulations (4-6-170) address hospital licensing, patient safety, and reporting requirements. These local rules can influence the standard of care that applies in city facilities, giving us additional avenues to hold negligent medical professionals accountable.
Under 735 ILCS 5/13-212, you generally have two years from the date you knew or reasonably should have known about the injury to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. This is known as the “discovery rule,” and it’s meant to account for situations where the harm isn’t immediately obvious, such as a surgery error discovered months later during follow-up care.
There’s also an absolute limit of four years from the date the malpractice occurred, regardless of when the injury is discovered. This rule prevents very old claims from being filed.
Special rules apply when the injured patient is a minor. In most cases involving children, the lawsuit can be filed up to eight years after the malpractice, but it must be filed before the child’s 22nd birthday.
These deadlines might seem generous, but in reality, building a strong malpractice case takes time. We need to obtain and review medical records, secure expert witnesses, and meet Illinois’ affidavit of merit requirements before filing. Starting the process early allows our skilled medical malpractice lawyers to fully investigate and prepare the case without the pressure of an approaching deadline.
In a medical malpractice case, more than one party can be responsible for the harm caused. Liability isn’t limited to the surgeon or physician directly involved, and it can extend to other individuals and institutions whose actions or omissions contributed to the injury.
Physicians and surgeons are often the first people we think of when discussing malpractice, but nurses, anesthesiologists, and other medical professionals may also share responsibility. For example, a nurse who fails to monitor a patient’s vital signs after surgery, or an anesthesiologist who administers an incorrect dosage, can be held just as accountable as the primary doctor.
Hospitals, urgent care centers, and long-term nursing facilities can also be liable. These institutions are responsible for hiring qualified staff, maintaining safe environments, and ensuring proper training and supervision. If a hospital’s poor staffing levels, inadequate equipment maintenance, or lack of safety protocols lead to harm, it can be named as a defendant alongside individual health care providers.
In some cases, liability may be shared between multiple parties. A surgical error might involve both the surgeon who made the mistake and the hospital that failed to enforce operating room safety procedures. Determining this chain of responsibility is one of the first steps we take when investigating a medical negligence claim.
By identifying every liable party early on, our lawyers ensure that no potential source of compensation is overlooked. This thorough approach is often the difference between a limited recovery and a successful medical malpractice claim that truly reflects the full scope of our client’s losses.
When we pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit in Chicago, we expect the defense to challenge every element of our case. Hospitals, insurance carriers, and defense attorneys rarely admit fault outright. Instead, they use a range of strategies to argue that no negligence occurred or that our client’s injuries were unrelated to the alleged error.
One of the most common defenses is claiming there was no breach of the standard of care. The defense may bring in their own medical professionals to testify that the treatment met accepted medical guidelines, even if the outcome was poor. Our job is to counter this with credible expert testimony showing precisely where the care fell short.
Another frequent argument is that the injury was caused by pre-existing conditions rather than by the actions of the medical providers. In these situations, we carefully review the patient’s history and use medical records to demonstrate how the malpractice—not prior health issues—was the direct cause of harm.
Some cases involve allegations of comparative negligence, where the defense claims the patient’s own actions contributed to the injury; for example, by failing to follow post-surgery instructions. While Illinois law allows damages to be reduced in these situations, we work to show that the majority of responsibility still rests with the healthcare provider.
Finally, in certain high-risk treatments, the defense may argue assumption of risk, claiming the patient understood and accepted the potential dangers before undergoing the procedure. We address this by pointing to gaps in the informed consent process or by showing that the harm resulted from an avoidable medical mistake, not an inherent risk of treatment.
The steps you take after suspecting medical negligence can make a major difference in the outcome of your claim. In our experience handling complex medical malpractice cases, early action and thorough documentation often determine whether a case results in a strong settlement or stalls before trial.
One of the first things we advise is to obtain your medical records. These documents provide the foundation for proving what treatment was given, when, and by whom. They can also reveal inconsistencies, missing information, or signs of errors that strengthen your claim.
It’s equally important to document your symptoms and recovery in detail. Keeping a daily journal of pain levels, physical limitations, and emotional struggles can help connect your injuries to the negligent care you received. Photos of visible injuries or more severe health complications add another layer of evidence.
We also encourage clients to seek a second medical opinion as soon as possible. Another qualified medical professional can help confirm the mistake, identify its consequences, and recommend appropriate treatment going forward. This not only supports your case but also protects your health.
Finally, contacting a skilled medical malpractice attorney right away ensures that critical evidence is preserved, legal deadlines are met, and the affidavit of merit requirement under Illinois law is handled correctly. We can also connect you with the right medical experts, calculate the full scope of damages—including medical care expenses and lost wages—and prepare for trial if the defense refuses to settle.
When you’re dealing with the aftermath of medical negligence, the legal process can feel overwhelming. Our role as experienced medical malpractice lawyers is to take that weight off your shoulders while building the strongest case possible. We approach every matter with the same commitment, whether it’s a birth injury, a surgical error, or a tragic wrongful death.
The first step is a thorough investigation. We gather medical records, interview witnesses, and work with top medical professionals to understand exactly what went wrong and how it could have been prevented.
This often includes creating detailed timelines, cross-referencing treatment decisions against accepted medical guidelines, and identifying every potential liable party, from individual doctors to large hospital systems.
We then focus on securing expert witnesses who can explain the breach in the standard of care in clear, persuasive terms. Expert testimony is one of the most critical parts of any medical malpractice lawsuit, and we have a network of trusted specialists in fields ranging from obstetrics to neurosurgery.
Once we’ve established the evidence, we calculate the full measure of medical malpractice damages, including both economic losses like medical expenses and lost wages, and non-economic harms such as pain, suffering, and loss of normal life.
Armed with this information, we negotiate aggressively with insurance companies, but we’re always prepared to take the case to trial if the settlement offer doesn’t reflect the true value of your claim.
Our legal team has recovered millions for clients throughout Chicago by combining legal skill with medical insight. We don’t just represent you in court, but also guide you through every stage, making sure your voice is heard and your rights are fully protected.
In Illinois, medical malpractice happens when a medical professional or healthcare facility provides treatment that falls below the accepted standard of care, and that failure causes injury or death to a patient.
This is not simply a poor outcome, as medicine has risks, and not all bad results are malpractice. The key difference is whether the harm could have been avoided if the provider had acted as a reasonably skilled professional would under similar circumstances.
To succeed in a medical malpractice lawsuit, four key elements must be established:
While not always necessary, an autopsy may provide critical evidence about the cause of death and whether it was related to medical negligence. In many wrongful death cases, this evidence is key to proving liability.
Our firm works on a contingency fee basis. You pay no upfront fees, and we only get paid if we win your case. This ensures that anyone can hire a skilled medical malpractice attorney, regardless of their financial situation.
The right to bring a medical negligence claim in Illinois depends on the circumstances of the case and the relationship of the person to the injured patient. Generally, it can include:
Illinois medical malpractice cases can take months or even years, depending on the complexity, the number of defendants, and whether the case goes to trial. We work to move cases forward as efficiently as possible without compromising thorough preparation.
No. Many are resolved through settlement before trial, but we prepare every medical malpractice case as if it will be argued in court. This approach often leads to stronger settlement offers.
If you or someone you love has been harmed by the negligence of a medical professional, the choices you make in the days and weeks ahead matter. Medical malpractice cases are complex, highly contested, and often require a deep understanding of both medicine and the law. You shouldn’t face a hospital’s legal team or an insurance company alone.
At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, our Chicago medical malpractice lawyers have decades of experience standing up to some of the largest hospitals, clinics, and healthcare systems in Illinois. We’ve recovered millions for clients in cases involving surgical mistakes, birth injuries, delayed diagnoses, wrongful death, and other serious forms of medical negligence.
When you contact our Chicago personal injury law office, we’ll listen to your story, review your medical records, and explain your legal options in plain language. You’ll know exactly where you stand and how we can help. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means:
Every day you wait can make it harder to gather the evidence needed to prove your claim. If you believe you were injured by a healthcare provider’s negligence, contact us for a free consultation today!
Our downtown office, near the Richard J. Daley Center, Dirkson United States Courthouse, and the Chicago Workers’ Compensation Commission, offers convenient access from Aurora, Joliet, and Waukegan via I-90, I-94, and I-290.
225 W Wacker Dr #1660
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (847) 835-8895
Toll Free: (888) 424-5757
We also serve clients from Buffalo Grove, Decatur, Peoria , Schaumburg and throughout Illinois.
All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.