Rockford Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Trusted Legal Representation for Rockford Medical Malpractice Victims

The Rockford medical malpractice attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers are dedicated to helping patients and families who have suffered due to medical negligence.

When you seek care at medical facilities, you expect to receive safe, competent treatment. However, when doctors, nurses, or hospital staff make critical errors, the consequences can be devastating—leading to life-altering injuries, permanent disabilities, or wrongful death.

If you or a loved one has been harmed due to medical malpractice, you have the right to seek compensation. Our firm has successfully recovered multi-million-dollar settlements in Rockford personal injury cases for victims of hospital errors, surgical mistakes, and misdiagnosis, including:

• $12,000,000 – Surgical procedure error settlement for a patient who suffered brain injury and a below-the-knee amputation after a botched cardiothoracic surgery.
• $9,000,000 – Wrongful death lawsuit settlement for a 63-year-old man who was discharged from an emergency room despite chest pain, only to suffer a fatal heart attack hours later.
• $7,500,000 – Maternal death settlement against an OB-GYN and nurses who failed to treat hemorrhaging during childbirth, leaving behind a husband and newborn child.

If you or a loved one suffered harm at a Rockford medical facility, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help you seek justice. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Understanding Medical Malpractice in Rockford, Illinois

Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor, nurse, hospital, or other healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care, resulting in serious harm to a patient. Whether due to misdiagnosis, errors during surgical procedures, medication mistakes, or inadequate aftercare, these forms of negligence can lead to permanent injuries, disabilities, or wrongful death.

Patients trust Rockford hospitals and medical facilities, such as SwedishAmerican Hospital, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, and Javon Bea Hospital–Riverside, to provide high-quality care.

However, when healthcare professionals make avoidable mistakes, the consequences can be life-altering. In Illinois, medical malpractice victims have the right to seek compensation through a medical malpractice suit.

Illinois law protects patients by allowing them to file medical malpractice claims against negligent healthcare providers.

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-212, patients generally have two years from the date they discover an injury to take legal action. Additionally, Illinois law (735 ILCS 5/2-622) requires that a qualified medical professional reviews each case and provides an affidavit of merit confirming that malpractice likely occurred.

Damages Recoverable in Medical Malpractice Claims

When medical professionals make mistakes, the consequences can be physically, emotionally, and financially devastating. Victims of medical negligence have the right to seek financial compensation for the damages they have suffered and cover medical-related costs, lost income, etc.

Filing a claim with a Rockford medical malpractice lawyer ensures that patients and their families can recover the maximum amount possible under Illinois law.

Compensatory Damages

Compensatory damages are awarded to cover financial and emotional losses. These are categorized into economic and non-economic damages:

Economic Damages

These are tangible financial losses that result from medical malpractice, including:

• Medical Expenses – Costs for surgeries, hospital stays, prescription medications, rehabilitation, and long-term care.
• Lost Wages – Compensation for missed work and reduced future earning potential due to injuries caused by medical errors.
• Ongoing Care Costs – Expenses for home healthcare, physical therapy, or assistive medical devices.

Non-Economic Damages

These intangible losses account for the enormous physical and emotional toll of medical malpractice, including:

• Pain and Suffering – Compensation for chronic pain, trauma, and emotional distress experienced due to medical malpractice and negligence.
• Permanent Disability or Disfigurement – Damages for long-term impairments affecting mobility, independence, or appearance.
• Loss of Consortium – Compensation awarded to spouses or family members for the loss of companionship, support, and intimacy due to injuries.

In 2010, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that caps on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases were unconstitutional. This means victims are entitled to seek full recovery for their pain, suffering, and diminished quality of life. Our Rockford medical malpractice lawyers fight aggressively to ensure victims recover every dollar they deserve.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are awarded in cases where medical providers acted with extreme negligence or reckless disregard for patient safety. Unlike compensatory damages, which aim to reimburse victims, punitive damages are meant to:

• Punish the responsible doctor, nurse, or hospital for their egregious actions.
• Deter future medical errors by setting a legal precedent and encouraging higher standards of care.

While punitive damages are not awarded in every medical malpractice case, they can be pursued when a healthcare provider’s misconduct was intentional, reckless, or grossly negligent.

Wrongful Death Damages

In tragic cases, medical malpractice results in loss of life, leaving families devastated and facing significant financial burdens. Families who have lost a loved one due to a misdiagnosis, surgical mistake, or treatment error have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim.

Our Rockford wrongful death attorneys help families recover compensation for:

• Funeral and Burial Expenses – The costs associated with laying a loved one to rest.
• Loss of Financial Support – Compensation for lost income if the deceased provided financial stability for the family.
• Loss of Parental Guidance or Spousal Support – The emotional and psychological toll of losing a parent, spouse, or caregiver.

Liability in Cases of Medical Negligence

Medical providers tasked with providing quality patient care can be found liable in the event of anything that constitutes medical malpractice. Any of the following healthcare professionals could be liable in a Rockford medical malpractice case:

• Doctors – A doctor can be liable for medical malpractice in Rockford when they fail to diagnose, treat, or consider a patient’s medical history.
• Surgeons – Surgeons who make mistakes or leave surgical instruments in a patient may be liable.
• Nurses – Nurses also have a standard of care when treating patients.
• Nursing home staff – When mistakes happen, other healthcare professionals, such as nursing home employees, may be to blame.
• Pharmacist – Medication errors from a pharmacist could make them liable in a malpractice case.
• Hospital or medical center – The hospital or medical center may be held accountable if mistakes are due to faulty hiring or training policies.

You Have Limited Time to Seek Compensation in Rockford, IL

If you have suffered medical malpractice in Rockford, it is important to act quickly, as Illinois law imposes strict time limits for filing a lawsuit.

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-212, medical malpractice victims in Illinois generally have:

• Two years from the date they discovered or should have discovered the injury to file a medical malpractice claim.
• A maximum of four years from the date the malpractice occurred, regardless of when the injury was discovered.

Some cases may qualify for an extended statute of limitations. For example, if the victim was under 18 at the time of the malpractice, they have until their 22nd birthday to file a lawsuit. The statute may also be extended if a doctor or hospital intentionally hid evidence of malpractice.

Families of deceased victims typically have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit (740 ILCS 180/2).

Because medical malpractice cases require expert testimony, medical records analysis, and a strong legal strategy, it is crucial to consult a Rockford medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible.

Proving a Medical Malpractice Claim

Illinois has strict laws on what constitutes medical malpractice. A Rockford medical malpractice lawyer from our team will work to build your case to include the following elements:

• Duty – The doctor or healthcare professional must have had an established professional relationship with the patient.
• Deviation or breach of duty – There must be evidence the healthcare professional deviated from the standard of care.
• Causation – There must be clear causation of the medical provider’s substandard care to the victim’s personal injury.
• Actual damages – The medical mistake must have led to actual damages that can be compensated through a medical malpractice lawsuit, including medical-related costs or lost wages.

Medical Malpractice Cases Handled by Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers

Our Rockford medical malpractice lawyers handle a wide range of case types. Here are a few of the most common medical mistake types found in Rockford facilities:

• Birth injuries
• Pharmacy errors
• Surgical errors
• Failure to diagnose/treat
• Nursing home neglect/abuse
• Anesthesia errors
• Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs)
• Defective medical devices or implants
• Radiology and imaging errors
• Emergency room errors

How Our Rockford Medical Malpractice Attorneys Can Help

At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, our Rockford medical malpractice attorneys are dedicated to holding negligent doctors, nurses, and hospitals accountable for the harm they cause.

We understand that medical errors can leave victims with lifelong complications, financial burdens, and emotional trauma—which is why we fight aggressively to secure the compensation you deserve.

We begin with a free case evaluation, where we review your medical records, consult expert witnesses, and determine the strength of your medical malpractice claim.

Our legal team then conducts in-depth investigations, collecting medical documents, hospital records, and expert testimony to prove negligence and liability.

We aggressively negotiate with hospitals, insurance companies, and opposing counsel to secure full compensation for medical care bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and long-term care.

If a fair settlement cannot be reached, we are fully prepared to take your case to court and fight for the justice you deserve.

Contact a Rockford Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today!

A medical mistake can shatter your trust in the Illinois or Winnebago County healthcare system, leaving you with serious injuries, emotional distress, and mounting medical expenses. Patients expect doctors and other healthcare providers to uphold the highest standard of care and avoid mistakes, but when negligence occurs, those responsible can and should be held accountable.

A Rockford medical malpractice lawyer from Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can guide you through Illinois’ complex legal process of filing a lawsuit and ensure you meet critical legal time limits. Our law firm has extensive experience in securing compensation for medical malpractice victims and their family members.

Don’t face this battle alone. Call Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers today at (888) 424-5757 for a free consultation, or fill out our online form to have one of our personal injury attorneys in Rockford contact you.

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.