The United States healthcare system is one of the best in the world, yet over 250,000 individuals die every year as a result of medical malpractice. And medical malpractice doesn’t only result in death. An individual may sustain severe injuries as a result of a misdiagnosis, consuming the wrong prescription medication, surgical errors, or other common forms of medical malpractice.
When an individual believes they’ve been injured as a result of medical malpractice, they must get in touch with a skilled and experienced medical malpractice lawyer, as a lawyer will help them seek damages. But with so many medical malpractice lawyers out there, how is one to know who to hire? Such is the main question this article answers.
Call 1-800-HURT-511 when you believe you’ve been a victim of medical malpractice. The medical malpractice lawyers at the Sanders Law Firm have been representing victims of medical malpractice and their families for over a decade, and we’ve secured hundreds of favorable judgments for our clients.
Preliminary Steps
Before you reach out to an attorney, there are some preliminary questions you should ask yourself:
How Long Ago Did The Injury Happen?
There’s a statute of limitations for medical malpractice lawsuits, which means an individual has a set window of time to file a lawsuit. Keep in mind that different states have different requirements. Some states hold that the window of time to file begins when the injury is first discovered, whereas other states hold that the window of time to file begins once the injury occurs. In New York, a medical malpractice lawsuit must be filed within 30 months of the event which allegedly caused an injury.
There are also exceptions to keep in mind. For example, if an individual has been receiving treatments for the injury that was caused my medical malpractice lawyer, they’ll be afforded more time to file a lawsuit.
Note: If you’re confused about the specifics of New York’s medical malpractice statute of limitations, reach out to our medical malpractice lawyers in Brooklyn. The initial consultation is free, and during this one of our lawyers will tell you whether you still have time to file or not.
What Do You Seek To Gain?
Medical malpractice is often difficult to prove, in large part because the majority of victims are sick or injured in some way before the event which causes further injury. Therefore, filing a frivolous medical malpractice lawsuit is definitely not worth it. Be clear on what you hope to achieve before you reach out to an attorney.
Begin Searching Online For Medical Malpractice Lawyers
The first thing an individual should do when they’re looking for a qualified medical malpractice lawyer is create a short list of lawyers in the area. There are plenty of medical malpractice lawyers operating in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Manhattan. Once a short list has been created, go through the lawyers’ websites to get a baseline feel for what their qualifications are.
If a lawyer has an up-to-date website that’s packed with information and easy to use, it’s likely they’re trusted, respected, and preferred. After you go through all the websites, check to see if all the lawyers on your short list are in good standing with state and national bar associations.
Remember that medical malpractice can take many forms. Such is why it’s smart to hire a lawyer that specializes in medical malpractice. A medical malpractice expert will know about everything from birth injuries to slow-moving illnesses like mesothelioma. Once you’re done with the preliminary research, select three of the most promising lawyers on the list; these are the lawyers you’ll interview.
Ask About Case History, Qualifications & Experience
You should have plenty of questions ready to go when you begin an initial consultation with a medical malpractice lawyer. Specifically, you should ask the lawyer about:
Track Record: See how many favorable judgments they’ve secured for medical malpractice victims, and ask them how many medical malpractice cases they’re handling at the moment.
Recent Experience: Ask them about which kinds of medical malpractice lawyer they’ve dealt with recently. The lawyer’s medical malpractice experience must be recent; hiring a lawyer whose last successful case was 10 years ago is probably not a good idea.
Trial vs. Settlement: See if the lawyer is familiar with taking a case to trial. If they’ve only negotiated settlements, it’s best to find someone else.
Awards & Certifications: Does the lawyer have awards, board certifications, and other valuable credentials? Where did they go to law school? Do they have just a JD or an LLM too?
Trial Qualifications: If the case is likely to go to trial, ask the lawyer about their trial litigation qualifications:
- Has the lawyer been recognized by the National Board of Trial Advocacy?
- Have they been certified by the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys?
- How long have they been litigating in court?
- Have they ever handled any newsworthy cases?
Ask About Compensation
Asking about how the lawyer will be compensated in the event a favorable judgment is secured is also very important. Most medical malpractice lawyers work on contingency, and in most cases a lawyer will collect 33% of the total amount awarded, however state laws, ethics rules, and other regulations govern how much a lawyer can collect. And usually the lawyer will pay for litigation expenses out of pocket, and then cover these expenses when their client is awarded damages.
Ask About How Firm Administrators Will Help
Most lawyers don’t work alone. They have support staff to help them with day-to-day activities. This is why you should ask a lawyer how they approach communication. Will you be dealing with them or an assistant. What about updates? Are these given regularly? And what kind of resources do they have? Can you speak with any of their former clients?
Case Evaluation
After you’ve given a brief summary of what happened, an experienced lawyer will know whether you have a case or not. Good lawyers ask a lot of questions when evaluating a potential client’s claim, but the lawyer isn’t the only one who should ask questions at this point.
If the lawyer wants to take your case, ask about witnesses they’d call. Also, ask how much compensation is likely to be awarded and how fast it’ll take to secure this.
Hire A Medical Malpractice Lawyer From The Sanders Law Firm
Many New Yorkers who’ve followed the steps above have discovered that the Sanders Law Firm has the best medical malpractice lawyers in Queens. We’ve represented individuals throughout the Five Boroughs, and we’ll help you seek damages if you’ve been injured as a result of medical malpractice. Call 1-800-HURT-511 now!
Trusted Reviews
