Medical Malpractice - Do I Have A Winning Case?
Discover If You Or A Loved One Was Victim of Neglicence or Medical Malpractice
Experiencing a life-altering injury or the death of a loved one is traumatic. If the loss is caused by the wrongful behavior or negligent action of another person, the pain and suffering is often intensified.
This stress can be exacerbated when trying to determine if you have a case for medical malpractice or wrongful death, which can often be a complex and costly process. Thousands of people die every year from unnoticed and undocumented medical negligence and malpractice. It has been said that more people die each year from medical negligence than from automobile accidents.
Most state privacy laws make it difficult or even impossible to look up documentation to see which physicians in your area have had complaints filed against them. Unfortunately, medical procedures sometimes result in negative outcomes that could not have been predicted or avoided.
Just because a patient experiences an unusual complication, does not necessarily mean that the doctor did anything wrong. Even the most skillful and careful of surgeons occasionally experience unforeseen difficulties.
Some medical mistakes are apparent, such as a surgeon leaving an instrument inside of a patient or a doctor amputating the wrong limb. However, most medical malpractice cases involve errors that are far less obvious.
Medical malpractice claims can arise out of surgical malpractice, medication errors, bacterial infections, birth injuries, diagnosis errors, and negligence, among other things.
So how do you know if you or someone you know has been the victim of Medical Malpractice?
One of the best approaches is to contact an experienced Medical Malpractice attorney for support and legal counsel. A qualified lawyer will ensure that your rights are protected and will help make a determination as to whether you have a medical malpractice or wrongful death case.
Statute Of Limitations
Why Contacting An Attorney Right Away Is Important
It is important to remember that Maryland law dictates a statute of limitations for medical malpractice lawsuits. A statute of limitations sets forth a specific window of time after the injury occurs during which you may file a lawsuit. It takes time to gather the necessary information needed to determine if a medical malpractice suit should be filed, and you may not file suit once the statute of limitations has run out, so it is suggested you contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible after the alleged malpractice takes place to ensure that you have every chance to get whatever compensation you deserve.
What A Medical Malpractice Lawyer Does To Determine If Malpractice Occurred
Once you have contacted an attorney, that attorney will investigate the merits of your potential case by trying to determine whether or not medical negligence has occurred. Part of this process will involve your lawyer obtaining all pertinent medical records. This can be a long, arduous, and expensive process. Oftentimes, the records will need to come from multiple doctors and/or hospitals and there is typically a fee to have them copied and sent. In most cases, you can pay your health care provider to retrieve your records, copy them, and send them to your lawyer. This is not a quick step in the process, often taking months to complete.
Once all of the relevant medical records have been compiled, your attorney will review them for signs of medical malpractice. In some instances, an experienced attorney will be able to look over the records and conclude that malpractice has or has not taken place. In most cases, however, your lawyer will have a doctor, nurse, or other medical professional review the records and provide their professional opinion. Finding someone qualified to review your records and waiting for them to be available could cause delays in your case.
Economic factors may also impact your attorney’s decision to file suit. Preparing for a trial can be expensive with both sides likely hiring experts, conducting depositions, etc. If the cost of these preparations can be justified by how much money a jury is likely to award you for your injuries, than your lawyer will probably move forward with the case. If not, it would not make economic sense to file the suit.
In The Case of Wrongful Death
Wrongful death is the death of an individual as a direct result of the negligence of another individual, company, or entity. Wrongful death suits are usually based on the cause of death, who is strictly liable for the death, and who can claim the wrongful death. Normally, wrongful death cases are brought by relatives, siblings, or descendents of the deceased’s estate who have experienced a monetary loss as a result of the wrongful death. Wrongful death claims can arise out of automobile accidents, workplace accidents, dangerous or defective products, negligence, etc.
If you think you or someone you know has been the victim of medical negligence, it is a good idea to contact a qualified attorney immediately. Be prepared to provide your lawyer with relevant information such as dates you were treated, where, and by whom. The more information you can provide your lawyer, the better. In the event that medical negligence results in a wrongful death, action may be brought by the deceased’s family members.
Next Steps...
If you or a loved one has suffered from wrongful death from medical malpractice, call medical malpractice lawyers at Greenberg & Bederman at 301-589-2200 or toll free 800-800-1144 or submit the easy online form to request your free legal consultation today.
The initial medical malpractice consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to handle your cerebral palsy or malpractice case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds. A lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations, so please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.
For more information visit our main Medical Malpractice webpage...
