If you, a family member or friend has been a victim of medical negligence you likely need to hire a medical malpractice lawyer. Here are a few tips to help you to find the best one for you.
Do you have a case?
But, before you spend time looking for a lawyer, you first need to be fairly sure that you do in fact need one. The information you can find here will help you to do this. As you will see, there are all kinds of situations that could lead to you being injured or left with permanent issues as a result of a health professional not doing their job. You will also notice that a medical malpractice lawsuit does not necessarily have to be made against a doctor or hospital.
Do an online search
The best place to start your hung is online. Most medical malpractice lawyers have a website.
Look for a lawyer with the relevant experience
It is easy to find out about the services that they offer and work out which one has the experience to be able to deal with your type of case. At this stage, it is also worth reading some of the testimonials and looking for reviews from previous clients.
Doing an in quotes search for them can also reveal helpful information. For example, news stories about the cases they have worked on.
Check their qualifications
Once you have narrowed your options down, go to the relevant bar association website and make sure they are properly qualified. This is relatively easy to do. But, if you cannot find the right website, go to the American Bar Association site and follow the links listed there.
Speak to them
The next step is to sit down and talk to them. If at all possible, do this face-to-face. This makes it easier to work out if they are the right person for you.
A lawyer you can easily talk to
It is not enough that they have the right qualifications and experience. If you cannot communicate with each other effectively, or you do not feel comfortable with them, they are not the right lawyer for you.
Medical malpractice cases tend to drag on. They can easily take years. So, you need to find a lawyer you like and trust enough to work with for all of that time.
The right fee structure for you
As you can imagine, medical negligence lawsuits are rarely straightforward. There is a lot of evidence to go through. Expert witnesses must be found. They have to go through the facts and identify what can be used to support your case. If an out of court settlement cannot be negotiated, your lawyer may have to spend weeks in court.
So, usually, the bill for their services is going to be quite high. Fortunately, most malpractice lawyers can be hired on contingency. This enables people who do not have a lot of savings to still be able to seek and get justice.