Did you know that over a third of physicians in the U.S. have faced a medical malpractice or negligence case?
That’s right! In fact, back in 2015, some states had a medical malpractice suit rate of more than 30 cases per 100,000 residents. Louisiana led the pack, with its rate of 44.1 malpractice suits per 100,000 residents.
All these prove how prevalent medical malpractice and negligence in the U.S. is. As such, if you suspect your doctor committed a medical mistake, take action right away. And one of the first crucial steps to take is to hire a medical malpractice attorney.
The question is, how exactly do you choose among the medical negligence lawyers out there? That’s what you’ll discover in this post, so be sure to keep reading!
Seek Personal Recommendations from Trustworthy Sources
In May 2019 alone, there were a whopping 26,444 new civil lawsuits filed in the United States. Granted, that represents a 12% decrease from the month before. Still, the per-year rate shows a considerable increase in filings from years before.
Of these lawsuits, personal injury lawsuits are the most common. Such cases include medical malpractice and negligence.
With that many victims of personal injury cases, it’s possible you personally know some of them. As such, start by getting personal recommendations from family, friends, and colleagues.
Put the names of medical malpractice lawyers with several mentions on top of your list. Being recommended several times is a good sign that they deliver high-quality service. If the people you trust had a great experience with a lawyer, you’re likely to have the same experience.
Can’t get any recommendation? Then start with a simple Google search of “medical malpractice attorney near me”. You do need to dig deeper into these Google results, but it’s a start to finding the best malpractice lawyer.
Run a “Background Check” on Each Medical Malpractice Attorney
Check the website of each of your prospective medical negligence lawyers. It should be transparent and contains biographical information about them. It should contain specific information about the areas of law they specialize in.
Be sure to check for specific details about their experience in medical malpractice. Good lawyers will always mention how long they’ve been protecting medical mistake victims.
They also make it a point to provide free education to potential personal injury victims. They do so through plain English blog posts about medical malpractice and negligence. These articles can be about what to do if you suspect medical negligence and what to expect if you do file a lawsuit.
Also, quality lawyers take pride in employing knowledgeable and skilled staff. Keep in mind that lawyers all over the U.S. have about 263,800 paralegals and legal assistants working for them. They also work on cases and support lawyers, so their information should also be on the website.
Confirm Licensure and Standing with Bar Associations
You’ll learn a lot from the website of medical practice attorneys, but you still want to confirm it. The first step is to check that they are members of your state and local bar associations.
If they are, they should be on the bar association’s directory, together with a lawyer profile. This includes their bio if their license is active, and the areas of law they can practice in. You’ll also learn if the attorney has had ethical issues in the past.
Good standing with these bar associations reflects the professionalism of a lawyer. It indicates credibility, legitimacy, and service quality. These are all signs that a lawyer will go to lengths to protect your rights as a medical mistake victim.
Time to Make Some Calls
By now, you likely would’ve trimmed down your prospect list to two or three names. Ring up each of these lawyers to give them a short “job interview”.
Pay attention to not only how knowledgeable they sound, but also to how their voice sounds. Auditory cues can tell you a lot about a person’s attentiveness and behavior.
Here are some of the most important things to observe and ask when you make these calls.
Promptness of Answering Calls
While you can’t expect someone to pick up the call on the first ring, you do want someone to answer your first call. If you can’t reach a law firm after several tries, take that as a sign they may be too busy to accommodate you.
How They Answer Questions
A great lawyer will give prompt and authoritative answers to all your questions. Be careful though, as you don’t want a lawyer who’s too abrupt and sounds condescending. You want to hire an attorney who treats you with respect and makes you feel comfortable.
Key Questions to Ask
Keep in mind that many lawyers practice various areas of personal injury. For instance, some specialize more on motor vehicle accidents than medical malpractice. As such, be sure to ask about how much of a firm’s caseload is for medical mistakes.
Also, ask about the law firm’s settlement rate and how many of their cases went to trial. In most cases, medical malpractice and negligence victims opt for a settlement.
For starters, because this is often less expensive and less stressful for victims. Also, victims can receive fair compensation faster than if their case went to trial.
Still, you want to hire a lawyer who has a high success rate for cases that ended up in court. Knowing that your attorney can represent you if this happens to your case will give you peace of mind.
Be sure to ask about the lawyer fees too and payment for case-related expenses. Ask if the medical negligence lawyer offers services on a contingency fee basis. If so, this means you’ll pay the lawyer only once you receive your settlement.
Follow These Tips to Find the Best Medical Malpractice Lawyer ASAP
Remember: There’s always a deadline for filing medical malpractice and negligence claims. States have varying “statutes of limitations”, but some only have a one-year deadline. That’s why it’s important you seek the help of the best medical malpractice attorney ASAP.
So, as early as now, follow this guide to find the best medical malpractice lawyer for your case. The sooner you do, the sooner you can get compensated for your pain and suffering.
Need more help when it comes to the complex and confusing legal world? If so, then be sure to follow and bookmark our site for more legal tips and hacks!