Chicago Professional Negligence Lawyer
Injured by a Negligent Professional in Chicago or Anywhere in Illinois? We Can Help.
The Chicago medical malpractice lawyers of Phillips Law Offices have been assisting clients for over 65 years in dealing with medical, legal, and other professional service providers whose mistakes and negligence have caused physical injuries, financial losses, or other damages.
At Phillips Law Offices, our law firm is committed to helping clients who have been the victim of an inexperienced, careless, or negligent professional. When you turn to our professional negligence attorney, you can move forward with confidence knowing that our team of professionals will work hard to help you overcome the challenges you’ve encountered by presenting a compelling case that will maximize your chances of seeing fair compensation for your losses.
What is Professional Negligence and When Does it Occur?
Virtually everyone hires a professional at some point, whether it’s a physician, a financial professional such as an accountant, an architectural engineer, or even a lawyer. Unfortunately, professionals do not always meet the minimum standards of care or service in their profession. In legal terms, this may mean that they have committed professional negligence or malpractice.
In cases where this negligence affects you in the workplace, our workman’s comp lawyer may be able to assist as you seek compensation for the treatment of your injuries and lost wages.
In other areas, such as public premises liability or automotive products liability, our personal negligence lawyers may take a different approach.
By far, the most common type of professional negligence involves the medical and health care industry. Most are familiar with medical malpractice lawsuits, but there are many other forms of malpractice and negligence that can involve the health care field.
Unfortunately, the impact of medical negligence very often results in illness or physical injuries, which can have an absolutely catastrophic physical and financial impact on the victim. This is where an experienced Chicago professional negligence attorney can help, working to help you recover compensation for your losses.
Who Can Be Sued for Professional Negligence Causing Injury?
Many professionals are held to high standards because their work affects people’s safety and well-being. When those professionals fail in their duty and someone gets hurt, they can and should be held legally accountable. At Phillips Law Offices, we represent clients from urban centers like Chicago to communities throughout Northern, Central, and Southern Illinois who have been harmed by professional negligence.
A. Healthcare Professionals
- Doctors and Surgeons: Misdiagnosis, surgical errors, birth injuries, or anesthesia complications — these are all common forms of medical malpractice that can have devastating consequences.
- Nurses: Administering incorrect medications or failing to monitor vital signs.
- Dentists: Causing nerve damage or anesthesia injuries during procedures.
- Chiropractors: Spinal adjustments that lead to serious injury.
- Hospitals and Clinics: Unsanitary conditions, lack of supervision, or understaffing.
- Therapists and Psychologists: Failing to respond to suicidal ideation or worsening mental illness is a serious form of medical negligence that can result in lasting psychological harm.
B. Elder Care and Nursing Home Staff
- Neglect: Leading to falls, bedsores, infections, or malnutrition.
- Abuse: Physical or emotional harm inflicted by staff
- Medication Errors: Giving the wrong dosage or wrong medication.
C. Mental Health and Rehabilitation Providers
- Improper Treatment: Overmedication, misdiagnosis, or unsafe restraint.
- Failure to Intervene: Ignoring warning signs of self-harm or escalating conditions
- Unsafe Therapy Practices: Exposing patients to unnecessary psychological trauma.
D. Alternative & Wellness Practitioners
- Acupuncturists: Puncture wounds, internal bleeding, or infections
- Massage Therapists: Exacerbating injuries or causing new trauma.
- Holistic or Herbal Practitioners: Suggesting harmful remedies without adequate knowledge.
E. Transportation & Public Transit Professionals
- Bus Drivers: Speeding, distracted driving, or unsafe stops leading to passenger injury.
- Train/Subway Operators: Failing to follow safety signals or causing derailments.
- Rideshare and Taxi Drivers: Rideshare and Taxi Drivers: Causing crashes due to negligence or DUI — or contributing to a serious car accident while transporting passengers.
- School Bus Drivers: Endangering children through improper supervision or unsafe driving.
- Transit Authorities: Failing to maintain safe buses, trains, and stations — which may also raise workers’ compensation issues if the injured party was on the job.
F. Other Licensed Professionals (When Injuries Occur)
- Architects and Engineers: Negligent design leading to structural collapse or accidents.
- Building Inspectors: Overlooking safety hazards that later cause injury.
- Real Estate Agents or Property Managers: Failure to warn about known dangerous conditions on premises, which may also give rise to a premises liability claim.
In addition to professional negligence, we also handle select cases involving product liability where defective medical or safety equipment contributes to client injury.
What Types of Professionals Commit Negligence or Malpractice?
In many cases, these effects can last a lifetime. Health care negligence covers a number of different areas, such as:
Other types of professionals may commit malpractice or negligence by their failure to take proper care according to what is considered the standard of care in their business or profession. This may result in a negligence or malpractice lawsuit. This can include such professionals as:
- Accountants
- Lawyers
- Brokers
- Architects
- Engineers
Our team of malpractice and professional negligence lawyers will work hard to achieve the best possible outcome for your case.
Common Legal Questions: Why is Negligence Difficult to Prove?
Professional negligence and malpractice can be challenging to prove due to the subjective nature of many cases. For example, in a medical malpractice case, your lawyer may be tasked with proving what a doctor knew or did not know at a certain point in time. That is a task that is inherently challenging.
What’s more, in many professional fields, there may be several viable solutions to the same problem. The absence of a concrete “right” and “wrong” course of action can complicate matters.
Additionally, there may not necessarily be concrete evidence of a professional’s actions or inactions, which means that the courts must rely on witness testimony. These and other factors can make professional negligence cases challenging.
How Is Workers’ Compensation Used in a Case of Professional Negligence?
If you suffered as the result of business negligence or another act of malpractice while on the job and sustained an injury as a result of a professional’s alleged actions or inactions, then a workers’ compensation claim may be an effective avenue for helping you recover your losses, both in terms of your health and your lost wages.
Many are uncertain as to where to get workers’ comp benefits. Typically, you will go through your employer, who can provide you information on their workers’ compensation insurance provider.
Our Chicago business lawyers have the experience required to walk you through the process of seeking out benefits, representing you and your interests every step of the way.
Our Medical and Business Negligence Lawyers Will Maximize Your Chances of Getting Compensation
Losses and damages in business negligence cases are usually monetary, and a victim’s losses can be quite substantial. At Phillips Law Offices, our elite team of Chicago professional negligence lawyer focus on analyzing each case, then working to offer up evidence that proves that a professional has acting in a negligent or inappropriate manner. Our goal is to help you recover the maximum amount of compensation for your losses.
While we cannot guarantee results for any case, we can guarantee that your case will be prepared and presented by a professional team of Chicago lawyers who will leverage the latest technology and nationally renowned experts in their respective fields as we strive to illustrate the manner in which you were harmed. With this strategy, we have helped many clients recover the maximum amount of compensation for their damages.
- We know the law
- We know how to value your losses.
- We believe negligent parties must be held accountable.
- We work hard to protect you from insurance companies and others who may try to “bully” our clients.
Proven Results in Professional Negligence and Injury Cases
At Phillips Law Offices, our results speak for themselves. We’ve recovered millions for clients injured by the negligence of professionals, whether in a hospital, nursing home, or a serious car accident involving a commercial driver.
$9.6 Million Settlement for Child Injured in Escalator Incident
A 5-year-old child’s hand became trapped in a shopping mall escalator due to a lack of proper maintenance and safety precautions. Our firm secured a $9.6 million settlement to support the child’s long-term care and recovery needs—one of the highest escalator injury settlements in Illinois.
$1 Million Settlement in Skokie Slip-and-Fall Case
Attorney Stephen J. Phillips obtained a $1 million settlement for a woman who suffered serious injuries after slipping and falling on improperly maintained steps at a property in Skokie, Illinois. The case demonstrated the property owner’s failure to ensure basic safety for visitors.
Settlement in Major Pressure Ulcer Negligence Case
Phillips Law Offices successfully resolved a case involving a patient who suffered severe pressure ulcers while under the care of a medical facility. The case highlighted serious failures in nursing care and patient monitoring. The confidential settlement helped the family address ongoing medical needs and suffering.
Meet the Attorneys Behind Our Results
At Phillips Law Offices, your case is handled by experienced, nationally recognized trial lawyers who have dedicated their careers to representing injury victims throughout Chicago and across Illinois. Our attorneys are trusted advocates in complex personal injury and professional negligence litigation, including cases involving medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, transportation negligence, and more.
Stephen D. Phillips – Managing Partner
Stephen D. Phillips is a leading trial attorney in Illinois and the managing partner of Phillips Law Offices. With decades of experience, he has secured numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements in cases involving medical malpractice, catastrophic injury, and professional negligence. He is consistently recognized by Super Lawyers, Leading Lawyers, and the National Trial Lawyers Association for his excellence in the courtroom.
Stephen J. Phillips – Attorney
Stephen J. Phillips represents clients in a wide range of personal injury matters, including cases involving nursing home negligence, slip-and-fall injuries, and negligent care providers. Known for his sharp litigation skills and personal commitment to every case, he works closely with families across Illinois to seek justice for preventable harm.
Alec D. Mesrobian – Attorney
Alec D. Mesrobian focuses on cases involving complex liability and serious injury, including claims against hospitals, mental health providers, and nursing facilities. His legal experience and dedication to thorough case preparation have made him a trusted advocate for victims of professional negligence throughout the state.
When you choose Phillips Law Offices, you’re not just hiring a law firm — you’re partnering with trial lawyers who bring decades of focused personal injury experience and a proven record of results.
Alec’s strategic mindset and dedication to justice help secure meaningful outcomes for victims throughout Illinois.
These accomplished attorneys bring decades of combined legal experience to every case—and they are ready to help you pursue the justice and compensation you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions About Professional Negligence
Can I sue a doctor or therapist if their mistake caused me psychological trauma?
Yes. Licensed professionals can be held liable for both physical and emotional injuries caused by negligence.
What if I signed a waiver before treatment or a ride?
A waiver does not protect professionals from being held liable for negligence that results in injury.
Can I sue both the individual and their employer?
In most cases, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of injury—but exceptions may apply. Speak to a lawyer right away.
Do I need expert witnesses to prove my case?
Yes. Most professional negligence cases require testimony from other professionals to establish the standard of care and how it was violated.
Can I sue both the individual and their employer?
Often, yes. If the negligent act occurred in the scope of employment, both the professional and the company or facility can be named in a lawsuit.
Contact a Chicago Professional Negligence Lawyer Today
If a licensed professional’s negligence caused you harm, contact us now. Whether the incident occurred in Chicago, Naperville, Springfield, or any other part of Illinois, Phillips Law Offices is here to help.
Call (312) 598-0930 or contact us online to schedule your free case evaluation. We’ll listen to your story, explain your options, and fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.
Proudly Serving Clients Across Illinois
From our Chicago office, Phillips Law Offices handles professional negligence and serious injury claims in communities across the state, including:
– Chicago and Cook County
– Naperville, Aurora, and DuPage County
– Springfield, Peoria, and Central Illinois
– Rockford and Northern Illinois
– Southern Illinois communities including Carbondale and Marion
No matter where in Illinois your injury occurred, we’re here to help you pursue justice.