I’ve experienced the sudden death of people that I care about greatly and I’ve talked to thousands of people like you who have lost a loved one through an accident or medical malpractice.
When someone you care about passes away, especially if it’s sudden, it’s hard to think straight. You have people to call. You are devastated. Funeral arrangements need to be made.
You might be thinking about a lawsuit, but based on my experience not everyone is thinking about how to win that lawsuit.
While every case is different, the most common mistake people make is failing to have an autopsy. You can suspect why someone died or know in your heart that something went wrong, but if you can’t prove it then you will have a hard time winning your case.
For example, let’s say your husband went in to the doctor with severe pain in their leg and no history of an accident or injury. The doctor gives him pain meds. Two days later he’s back in the office because the pain has gotten worse and moved. It’s a classic sign of a blood clot. Yet we are involved in cases where the doctor has not done any further tests to rule out a blood clot or embolism. Three days later your spouse drops dead.
You might be told it was likely a blood clot, but without an autopsy it would be very hard to prove it. It’s your job to prove what happened at trial and if you can’t do that you won’t win your case.
In a car accident case the need for an autopsy isn’t always as great or so it seems. But when you are dealing with a death you can increase your damages by showing that they were otherwise healthy and had a long life expectancy by performing an autopsy.
Many times a hospital will volunteer to have an autopsy performed. Other times they will tell you it’s not necessary, especially if it might prove that their doctors messed up. You have a right to get a private autopsy and the Illinois wrongful death law firms that we recommend have experience it getting these set up for you.
I certainly get that an autopsy is the last thing you are thinking of at a time like this, but it truly can be the difference between knowing in your heart that something happened and actually being able to prove it in a court of law.
If you have questions about Illinois wrongful death law or would like our help in finding a lawyer, fill out our contact form or call us at (312) 346-5320. We help everywhere in Illinois.