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Catheterization Injuries Medical Malpractice in Chicago
A catheterization injury caused by medical negligence can change your life in an instant. Whether you received a urinary catheter after surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, underwent a cardiac catheterization at Rush University Medical Center, or had a catheter placed during a stay at any Chicago-area hospital, you trusted medical professionals to follow safe, accepted procedures. When they don’t, the results can be severe, including serious infections, organ damage, internal bleeding, and life-threatening complications. If that happened to you or someone you love, Briskman Briskman & Greenberg is here to help. Our firm has spent decades fighting for injured patients across Chicago and Illinois, and we want to hear your story.
Table of Contents
- What Catheterization Injuries Look Like and Why They Happen
- How Illinois Law Defines Medical Negligence in Catheterization Cases
- The Injuries That Result From Catheterization Negligence
- Illinois Deadlines, Damages, and What the Law Allows You to Recover
- Why Patients in Chicago Trust Briskman Briskman & Greenberg With These Cases
- FAQs About Catheterization Injuries Medical Malpractice in Chicago
What Catheterization Injuries Look Like and Why They Happen
Catheterization injuries fall into two broad categories: urinary catheter injuries and cardiac catheterization injuries. Both involve inserting a tube into the body, and both carry serious risks when performed carelessly or managed poorly.
A urinary catheter is a flexible tube inserted through the urethra into the bladder to drain urine. Doctors use them after surgery, during long hospital stays, and for patients who cannot urinate on their own. A cardiac catheter is a thin, flexible tube inserted into a blood vessel, typically in the groin, wrist, or arm, and guided to the heart to diagnose or treat heart conditions. Both procedures are common in Chicago hospitals and clinics every day.
A catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) occurs when germs enter the urinary tract through a urinary catheter and cause infection. Urinary tract infections are the most common type of healthcare-associated infection, accounting for more than 30% of infections reported by acute care hospitals. That statistic matters because many of those infections are preventable. When a nurse or doctor fails to use proper sterile technique, leaves a catheter in place longer than necessary, or ignores signs of infection, that is not just a medical complication. It can be negligence.
On the cardiac side, errors during catheterization can cause arterial puncture, internal bleeding, pseudoaneurysm formation, nerve damage, and stroke. These are not rare outcomes. They happen when providers rush, fail to monitor patients properly, or ignore warning signs after the procedure. Patients recovering near Millennium Park or commuting from the North Shore suburbs deserve the same standard of care as anyone else, and when that standard is not met, the law provides a path to accountability.
How Illinois Law Defines Medical Negligence in Catheterization Cases
Illinois medical malpractice law requires you to prove four things to succeed in a claim. First, the healthcare provider owed you a duty of care. Second, they breached that duty by falling below the accepted standard of care. Third, that breach directly caused your injury. Fourth, you suffered real damages as a result.
The standard of care is not a vague idea. It is the level of skill and care that a reasonably competent healthcare provider in the same specialty would have used under the same circumstances. For catheterization procedures, that standard includes using sterile insertion technique, monitoring the patient for signs of infection or vascular injury, removing catheters as soon as they are no longer needed, and responding promptly to complications.
The most important risk factor for developing a CAUTI is prolonged use of a urinary catheter. When a hospital keeps a catheter in place beyond what is medically necessary, and a patient develops a serious infection as a result, that decision may fall below the standard of care. The same logic applies to cardiac procedures. If a provider notices swelling, groin pain, or a pulsating mass after a cardiac catheterization and fails to order imaging or treatment, that delay can cause catastrophic harm.
Under the Chicago personal injury lawyer framework that governs Illinois civil litigation, proving causation is often the most contested element. The defense will argue that complications were unavoidable. Your attorney must show, with the help of qualified medical experts, that the harm you suffered was the direct result of a provider’s failure to meet the standard of care, not just an unfortunate outcome.
Illinois also requires plaintiffs to file an affidavit of merit under 735 ILCS 5/2-622. This affidavit must be signed by a licensed healthcare professional who reviewed your records and concluded that a meritorious malpractice claim exists. Without it, a court can dismiss your case. This requirement makes working with an experienced legal team essential from day one.
The Injuries That Result From Catheterization Negligence
Catheterization errors cause a wide range of injuries, and some are life-altering. Knowing what to look for helps patients recognize when something may have gone wrong.
For urinary catheterization injuries, the most common harm is infection. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) has been associated with increased morbidity, mortality, hospital cost, and length of stay. What starts as a bladder infection can spread to the kidneys, enter the bloodstream, and cause sepsis. CAUTIs can lead to such complications as prostatitis, epididymitis, and orchitis, cystitis, pyelonephritis, gram-negative bacteremia, endocarditis, vertebral osteomyelitis, and septic arthritis. These are not minor side effects. They are serious medical events that require aggressive treatment and can result in permanent organ damage or death.
Physical trauma is also a real risk. Improper catheter insertion can tear the urethra, puncture the bladder, or cause urethral strictures that permanently affect urinary function. In patients who are elderly, post-surgical, or already medically fragile, these injuries can be devastating.
For cardiac catheterization injuries, the risks include arterial damage at the insertion site, hematoma formation, pseudoaneurysm, stroke, heart attack, and internal bleeding. A hematoma occurs when blood collects outside a damaged blood vessel near the catheter insertion site. A pseudoaneurysm develops when blood leaks from an injured artery and pools in surrounding tissue. Both require prompt diagnosis and treatment. When a provider fails to order an ultrasound or other imaging after a patient reports worsening groin pain or swelling, that failure can turn a manageable complication into an emergency surgery, or worse.
Patients who have suffered nursing negligence related to catheter management, or who experienced a failure to escalate care when infection signs appeared, may have strong grounds for a claim. A qualified medical malpractice lawyer can review your records and identify where the standard of care was breached.
Illinois Deadlines, Damages, and What the Law Allows You to Recover
Illinois law sets strict time limits for filing a medical malpractice claim. Under 735 ILCS 5/13-212, you generally have two years from the date you discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, that your injury was caused by medical negligence. Regardless of when the injury was discovered, all such claims must be filed no later than four years after the date of the original medical error. Miss that deadline, and you lose your right to sue, regardless of how strong your case is.
There are exceptions. Illinois law states that medical malpractice claims for minors must be filed within eight years of the original injury and no later than the plaintiff’s twenty-second birthday. If a child received a negligently placed catheter at Lurie Children’s Hospital or any other pediatric facility in Chicago, different deadlines apply.
When it comes to damages, Illinois allows recovery for both economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages include medical bills, future treatment costs, lost wages, and rehabilitation expenses. Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Under 735 ILCS 5/2-1115, punitive damages are not available in healing art malpractice cases in Illinois. However, the compensatory damages available can still be substantial, especially in cases involving permanent injury, long-term disability, or wrongful death.
If a loved one died as a result of a catheterization injury caused by negligence, the Illinois Wrongful Death Act, 740 ILCS 180/1, allows surviving family members to bring a claim. The Act provides that when a death is caused by a wrongful act or neglect, the responsible party remains liable even though the victim has died. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can help surviving family members understand their rights under this statute.
Illinois also follows a joint liability rule under 735 ILCS 5/2-1117. Any defendant found to be 25% or more at fault is jointly and severally liable for all damages. This matters in cases where multiple parties, such as a hospital, a nurse, and a physician, each played a role in the harm. All defendants found liable are jointly and severally responsible for past and future medical expenses, regardless of their individual percentage of fault.
Under 735 ILCS 5/2-1114, attorney fees in Illinois medical malpractice cases are capped at 33 and one-third percent of all sums recovered. At Briskman Briskman & Greenberg, we handle medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. You may still be responsible for certain case costs and expenses, and we will explain all of that clearly before you decide to move forward.
Why Patients in Chicago Trust Briskman Briskman & Greenberg With These Cases
Catheterization injury cases are not simple. They require a thorough understanding of medical procedures, hospital protocols, and Illinois civil procedure. They also require the ability to work with qualified medical experts who can explain to a judge or jury exactly where the standard of care was violated and how that violation caused harm. This is not the kind of case to hand to a general practice attorney.
Briskman Briskman & Greenberg has built a reputation across Chicago for taking on difficult medical malpractice cases and fighting for full, fair compensation. Our firm is located at 205 W Randolph St., Suite 925, Chicago, IL 60606, right in the heart of the Loop, close to the Richard J. Daley Center where many Cook County civil cases are litigated. We serve clients throughout the Chicago metro area, from neighborhoods like Logan Square and Hyde Park to communities along the lakefront and beyond.
We take the time to understand what happened to you. We gather your medical records, consult with experts, and build a case that holds negligent providers accountable. Whether your injury happened at a large academic medical center or a smaller community hospital, we approach every case with the same level of dedication. An medical malpractice attorney from our team can meet with you to review your situation and explain your options honestly, without pressure and without cost.
Cases involving catheterization negligence often overlap with other forms of medical error, including nursing negligence, failure to escalate care, and hospital-acquired infections. Our team understands how these issues connect and how to pursue claims against all responsible parties. If your injury involved a delayed response to infection, a failure to monitor vital signs, or a breakdown in communication between providers, we know how to investigate those failures and present them effectively.
You deserve answers. If you or a family member suffered a serious catheterization injury at a Chicago-area hospital or medical facility, call Briskman Briskman & Greenberg at (312) 222-0010 for a free consultation. You can also reach a medical malpractice attorney on our team to discuss your case at no charge. Similarly, if you are located outside Chicago, a medical malpractice lawyer from our network of Illinois offices can assist you. We are ready to listen and help you understand what your case may be worth.
FAQs About Catheterization Injuries Medical Malpractice in Chicago
What is the difference between a urinary catheterization injury and a cardiac catheterization injury?
A urinary catheterization injury involves harm caused by a tube inserted into the bladder through the urethra, typically used to drain urine. Common injuries include infections, bladder perforation, and urethral damage. A cardiac catheterization injury involves harm from a tube inserted into a blood vessel and guided to the heart for diagnostic or treatment purposes. Common injuries include arterial damage, internal bleeding, pseudoaneurysm, and stroke. Both types of injuries can form the basis of a medical malpractice claim in Illinois when a provider’s negligence caused the harm.
How do I know if my catheterization injury was caused by malpractice or just a known risk?
Not every complication after a catheterization procedure is malpractice. Some complications occur even when providers follow all accepted protocols. Malpractice occurs when a provider falls below the standard of care, for example, by using non-sterile technique, leaving a catheter in place longer than medically necessary, or failing to recognize and treat a developing complication. The only way to know for certain is to have your medical records reviewed by a qualified attorney working with a medical expert. Briskman Briskman & Greenberg offers free consultations to help you make that determination.
How long do I have to file a catheterization injury malpractice claim in Illinois?
Under 735 ILCS 5/13-212, you generally have two years from the date you discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, that your injury was caused by a provider’s negligence. There is also a four-year statute of repose, meaning no claim can be filed more than four years after the date of the negligent act, regardless of when you discovered the injury. Exceptions apply for minors and in certain other circumstances. Because these deadlines are strict, you should contact an attorney as soon as you suspect malpractice.
Can I sue the hospital as well as the individual doctor or nurse who caused my injury?
Yes. Illinois law allows you to pursue claims against all parties whose negligence contributed to your injury. This can include the treating physician, the nurse who placed or managed the catheter, and the hospital itself. Under 735 ILCS 5/2-1117, any defendant found to be 25% or more at fault is jointly and severally liable for all damages. Hospitals can be held responsible for the negligent acts of their employees and for systemic failures in infection control protocols. An attorney can investigate all potential defendants and pursue claims against each one.
What compensation can I recover in a catheterization malpractice case in Illinois?
Illinois allows recovery for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include past and future medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and other out-of-pocket expenses directly tied to your injury. Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Under 735 ILCS 5/2-1115, punitive damages are not available in medical malpractice cases in Illinois. If a loved one died as a result of the injury, the Illinois Wrongful Death Act, 740 ILCS 180/1, may allow surviving family members to bring a wrongful death claim. The specific value of any case depends on the facts, the severity of the harm, and its long-term impact on your life.
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