Most people go their whole lives without seriously thinking about medical malpractice. While most people may experience one or two minor medical errors at some point, only a small portion of people suffer significant consequences due to the mistakes of medical professionals.
Those who do experience significant malpractice may endure life-altering consequences. Medical malpractice may involve mistakes with medication, errors during surgery or a failure to diagnose a patient with a major medical condition. Those professional failures by healthcare providers can negatively affect an individual’s health and finances.
A medical malpractice lawsuit can lead to compensation either through malpractice insurance coverage or the resources that belong to a medical business. Most people need the assistance of an attorney to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Look into professional focus
Some lawyers try to be everything for everyone. They dabble in criminal law, family law and personal injury cases. An attorney who previously helped someone draft a prenuptial agreement might insist that they can also handle a medical malpractice lawsuit. However, most lawyers focus on a specific practice area for a reason. They need to have an in-depth knowledge of both statutes and prior court rulings. Attorneys who work in personal injury and medical malpractice cases can usually navigate complex injury cases more effectively than those who handle all kinds of cases.
Review their success
After creating a short list of attorneys who primarily handle personal injury and medical malpractice claims, people then need to look at the outcome of different cases the attorney has handled before. Do they settle every case as quickly as possible, or do they litigate? When they settle, do they obtain appropriate amounts of compensation, or do they just bounce from one client to the next quickly? Lawyers with a history of fighting for their clients and a willingness to take a case to trial can often help maximize the financial compensation their clients receive.
Discuss the medical issues
Before committing to working with an attorney, it is usually beneficial to ensure they understand the specific area of medical malpractice and the type of injury the patient experienced. The success of the claim largely depends on the attorney’s ability to explore what happened and the impact it had on the patient. They also need to clearly communicate how the doctor’s conduct may have deviated from established best practices.
The right attorney can make all the difference for someone already coping with major financial consequences following a medical malpractice incident. Selecting a lawyer carefully can help injured patients demand accountability from physicians or facilities that provided them with substandard care.