What To Do If You Suspect You Have Been The Victim Of Medical Malpractice

When we go to the doctors, have surgery, or allow a medical professional to take charge of our health, we do so expecting them to provide us with a certain standard of care, which isn’t always the case.

 

Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider fails to uphold their duty of care, causing injury, harm, or even death to their patient. If you suspect that you have been a victim of medical malpractice, then here’s what you should do.

Dealing with an insurance adjuster

As LawTX.com points out: “Finding yourself the victim of an accident caused by someone else’s negligence can prove to be a highly challenging experience.” You may face medical bills, car repairs, and you’ll invest time to resolve the issue. Speak with an experienced attorney before discussing the accident with an insurance adjuster.

 

Contact a medical malpractice attorney

Medical malpractice law is highly regulated and incredibly complex, which is why you need to ensure that you have a correctly qualified lawyer or law firm on your case such as Shrager & Sachs.

 

Wherever possible, try to get yourself legal representation as soon as possible after the event, to give you the best chance of winning your medical malpractice case. If you are worried about the legal fees associated with hiring a medical malpractice attorney, then don’t fear, most medical malpractice lawyers offer a free consultation and will take their final payment on a no-win, no-fee contingency basis, meaning that you don’t need to worry about finding the money upfront.

Retain any evidence

Evidence in a medical malpractice case can sometimes be limited. In some cases, it’s simply be the doctor’s word against that of their patient. To form a persuasive argument, your attorney will need to gather evidence that the harm you sustained came as a result of the medical negligence of your healthcare professional.

 

Gathering evidence involves looking through health records, speaking to witnesses and connecting with third party medical professionals who can assess whether the action taken by the defendant was in keeping with the correct standard of care. If you happen to have any evidence yourself relating to your medical malpractice case, then hold onto it until you can show it to your attorney.

Prepare to ride it out

Medical malpractice cases are known for being complex and with so much at stake, they can take many months, or even years to come to completion. On average, medical malpractice suits take between 18 months to 3 years to close, though don’t let this put you off making your case.

How a legal settlement works

The vast majority of medical malpractice cases never make it to court, and instead are solved with an agreed settlement fee paid to the victim. This settlement fee can vary hugely, depending on the severity of the injuries caused to the individual and the degree of medical malpractice that has taken place.

 

With an experienced medical malpractice lawyer at your side, you can relax knowing that they will fight to get you the maximum amount of compensation that they can.

Use your compensation wisely

Following a successful medical malpractice case, you could find yourself with a substantial settlement payment. Although you may be relieved and happy to have won your fight, it’s important not to make any rash decisions with your money but instead to use it wisely in order to safeguard your future.

 

Many large settlement winners choose to get help from a financial advisor to help them intelligently use their money.

 

So there you have it – if you believe that you have been a victim of medical malpractice, be sure to get the help you need and the compensation that you deserve.

 

 

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Good luck!

Ken Boyd

Author: Cost Accounting for Dummies, Accounting All-In-One for Dummies, The CPA Exam for Dummies and 1,001 Accounting Questions for Dummies

(email) ken@stltest.net

(website and blog) https://www.accountingaccidentally.com/