According to industry reports, patients received a comprehensive $4.03 billion in payouts from medical malpractice lawsuits in 2018.
If you’ve been injured at the hands of an incompetent healthcare professional, it’s within your rights to sue for damages.
However, it can be difficult to find a medical malpractice lawyer that meets all of your expectations. From credentials to work experience, you want someone who checks all the right boxes.
Today, we’re sharing a few steps that can connect you with the legal team you need. Ready to learn more? Let’s dive in!
What is Medical Malpractice?
Before we delve into how to find the best malpractice attorney around, let’s review the actions that constitute medical malpractice.
This occurs when a hospital, doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional causes an injury to a patient through a negligent act, or failure to act (omission).
Some of the most common medical malpractice cases include:
- Misdiagnosing or failing to diagnose an illness
- Misreading or disregarding laboratory results
- Performing unnecessary surgery
- Prescribing improper medication or dosage
- Discharging a patient prematurely
- Failing to order the correct testing method
If you’ve experienced an injury that led to significant damages through any of these means, it’s time to find a lawyer. Here’s how to narrow down the field.
1. Find a Referral
Do you have a family practice lawyer you’ve used in the past? What about a real estate legal firm?
While this expert might not be able to handle your medical malpractice case, the local law community is tight-knit. He or she can likely refer you to someone she knows and trusts in the area.
2. Hop Online
The best lawyers in your area have an active web presence. Here, you can read client reviews, learn more about the firm, and send an email for more details.
A simple Google search for “medical malpractice attorney near me” can yield plenty of results. Be sure to do your research and check all references before choosing a firm based on web design alone.
Browse the site to find out how they serve medical malpractice victims and what kind of thought leadership they exhibit on the topic.
3. Contact the Licensing Agency
Every lawyer holds a license granted from a state agency. Before you sign on the dotted line with one, make sure his or her credentials hold up.
Use the American Bar Association (ABA)’s website to find your state’s licensing agency. Many states also have county bar associations that can put you in touch with medical malpractice attorneys in your area.
4. Hold Interviews
It might be impossible to interview every lawyer in your city, but once you narrow down your shortlist, it’s time to schedule a few meetings.
Make sure you’re comfortable with each lawyer and don’t feel rushed, initiated or unimportant. You’ll need to share confidential and sensitive details concerning your medical history, so it’s important that you feel confident about opening up.
A Medical Malpractice Lawyer Helps You Heal
Nothing can take back the pain caused by the medical malpractice you’ve experienced. Whether it resulted in a short-term setback or permanent loss, it’s a heart-wrenching journey to go through.
A reputable medical malpractice lawyer can help bring some level of healing to the hurt you’ve gone through. Take the time to find one you trust and take those next steps forward together.
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The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
