When you receive a medical malpractice settlement, the money you receive is meant to compensate you for your damages from the act of negligence, which often include medical expenses. When an individual’s condition is terminal, he or she may seek hospice care. Hospice care is daily physical, emotional, and psychological aid given to the patient in a hospice facility or in his or her home. It is meant to provide the patient with comfort during his or her final days, although there are cases where patients’ conditions stabilize or go into remission and the patient opts to resume curative treatment efforts. Hospice also offers emotional support for a patient’s loved ones.

Sometimes, an act of negligence such as a delayed diagnosis can create a situation where a patient faces a terminal diagnosis. For example, a patient suffering from mesothelioma might not have his or her condition diagnosed until it is at a late stage, at which point successful curative treatment might not be a realistic option. Individuals facing this reality can seek compensation for their palliative care, including hospice, through their medical malpractice claims.

What Does Hospice Care Entail?

Hospice care often involves palliative care to relieve pain and other symptoms of the patient’s condition. Generally, hospice care involves multiple types of therapy, such as physical therapy, nutritional therapy, counseling, and in some cases, art or music therapy. Hospice patients may receive massage therapy or spiritual guidance from religious leaders. The goal of hospice is to provide a holistic sense of comfort to the patient if he or she has opted to stop curative treatment or if the curative treatment he or she receives is not expected to be successful.

Is Hospice Care a Medical Expense?

Yes. Hospice care can be quite expensive and many insurance providers, including private insurance as well as Medicare and Medicaid, can be used to cover its costs. If you can demonstrate that your need for hospice care is the direct result of your condition that in turn, is the direct result of a healthcare provider’s negligence, you can seek compensation for your hospice costs through your medical malpractice claim.

Work with an Experienced Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer

If you have suffered a worsened condition or an injury because of a healthcare provider’s negligence, consider seeking compensation for your damages through a medical malpractice claim. To learn more about the damages for which you can seek compensation and how to demonstrate your need for compensation through your claim, contact our team of experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Baizer Kolar, P.C. today to set up your initial consultation in our office.