When you go under the knife for surgery, your life will be in your doctor's hands. You must completely trust them to provide you the medical care that you need. Unfortunately, it is possible for a medical professional to be neglectful or incompetent when performing their job. When this happens, you can file a medical malpractice claim against the person that harmed you. Before doing so, there are 3 things you'll need to know.
A Doctor Must Side With You
A big part of the health care industry is self-regulation. This means that other medical professionals will determine the legal outcome of the medical malpractice claim. You will need to find a doctor that will examine the injuries you sustained, and arrive to a conclusion about how they happened and if they were due to malpractice.
Having a doctor that sides with you is necessary to file your claim. Thankfully, a medical malpractice lawyer can help you search for an impartial doctor that will give a fair assessment of your condition.
A Lawyer Must Take Your Case
Filing a medical malpractice claim will be complicated. The best way to ensure that the outcome is successful is by working with a lawyer throughout the process. A study showed that 80% of lawyers rejected requests for legal representation in a medical malpractice claim. Lawyers typically charge their clients if they win the case, which makes them very selective when it comes to accepting cases.
Lawyers will want to see if your medical malpractice case has any merit prior to making the decision to work for you. The best way you can do this is to provide them with documentation. Get records of any interactions you have with doctors, test results, as well as your ongoing physical condition. Keeping a journal is a way you can recall how you felt on any day when asked.
A Claim Must Be Filed Within The Legal Time Limits
Working with a lawyer will also ensure that your claim has been filed in a timely manner. Your state will have a time limit for how long after an incident you can file a claim. Letting this time limit elapse causes you to forfeit any right you had to file the claim. Keep in mind that symptoms from medical malpractice are not always apparent, which is why you must act quickly when you realize something is not right.
With a doctor's support, a lawyer, and a properly filed claim, you will be on the right path to getting the compensation you deserve. Contact professionals like Wolfley & Wolfley, P.S. for more help.
Share17 November 2015
Like many other people, I admire the important tasks lawyers take on every day. I’m amazed at how knowledgeable general attorneys are about a variety of subjects. These professionals can accomplish many complicated jobs seamlessly, such as representing a client in a civil lawsuit, assisting a business with a merger, and acting on a client’s behalf in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Besides creating detailed legal briefs, they must argue their clients’ cases in court in front of a judge, jurors, and others. On this blog, I hope you will discover how crucial general attorneys are to this country’s legal system.