Medical malpractice is a serious issue. The consequences can be life-changing, and it’s essential to know how to proceed when you are faced with the possibility of a case. If you feel like your doctor has wronged you somehow, five questions should be asked before taking any legal action. This blog post talks about the five most important questions to ask your medical malpractice attorney before proceeding with a case against them.
1) What is my compensation likely to be?
Every case that a lawyer takes on is different from the last. There are so many factors involved, and your attorney can’t know exactly how much you will receive without first knowing all of these things. They do have general guidelines, though, so this question can give you an idea of what range you fall into.
2) How long will this take?
Even if your case seems simple, it still may take a while for everything to go through. Your attorney should give you an idea of how much time the process could take and what steps need to happen first. Knowing these things can allow you to make informed decisions about whether or not pursuing legal action is worth it in terms of your own life and career goals.
3) Are there any other legal options?
Your attorney must be able to tell you if your case will hold up in court or if the doctor’s defense is too strong. There may also be alternative dispute resolutions available, and they can go over those with you as well so that you know your best option moving forward.
4) How much experience do you have with this type of case?
When it comes to medical malpractice cases, there are some things that only attorneys who specialize in them will know. For example, suppose your surgeon cut into an area where there were many nerves and muscle tissue but didn’t damage anything important during the surgery itself. In that case, they can still be sued for pain and suffering afterward because those tissues were irreversibly damaged by their actions. Someone without special knowledge about these surgeries may not think to bring up something like that as part of the defense process. Attorneys should also be able to tell you how many cases similar to yours they’ve taken on so you can determine whether or not they’re experienced enough for your needs.
5) Do they handle cases involving my type of injury?
Different types of injuries require different legal proceedings, so it’s important to find an attorney who specializes in your injury. If you don’t, they may not represent you as effectively because their knowledge about the intricacies involved is lacking.
If these questions are answered properly, and all information has been given to you upfront, then your case should go smoothly without any problems. It’s always best to know everything up front, though, before taking action on anything with a lawyer or doctor.
An attorney for medical issues should answer all of these questions and many more before you take them on. After all, it’s important that your case goes as quickly and smoothly as possible so that you can get the compensation you need for any damages suffered during this difficult time in your life.