Medical malpractice lawyers are of great importance in helping you file a case when a doctor makes a mistake that results in harm. A good lawyer should help you in the following stages:
Investigation
This is the first thing a good lawyer should do. You should contact all doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers who are directly or indirectly involved in the alleged malpractice. When the attorney contacts the parties involved, he should request copies of the relevant medical records.
After you get the records, you need to do a thorough investigation and understand the condition you were suffering from. You must also understand how to treat the condition.
In addition to searching for information online, a good lawyer should also seek the help of an expert. For example, if you were suffering from asthma at the time of the negligence, the attorney should contact an asthma expert and learn as much as possible about the condition. The lawyer should also ask the expert if they treated you in the right way.
file suit
Once the lawyer has done his research and has concluded that there was negligence, you should file a lawsuit. He then must give the defendants and their lawyers copies of the documents showing that a lawsuit has been filed.
pre-trial discovery
At this stage, the lawyer must find the people who will be witnesses in court. The lawyer will determine what kind of people they are, if they will be liked by the jury, and if they are credible.
You should also ask witnesses to give their side of the story. After hearing all the witnesses, you should come to a conclusion about whether it is wise to move on to the next step.
Negotiations and agreements
The good thing about most medical malpractice cases is that they do settle. This means that cases do not go to trial. The reason cases settle is because insurance companies cover them.
Sometimes settlement negotiations are unsuccessful and the parties involved are forced to go to trial.
rehearsal
At the trial stage, witnesses are asked to testify in court. To increase the chances of winning the case, the attorney must prepare documentary exhibits, visual aids, witness questions, and opening statements. Although a lawyer must do everything possible to help you win your case, he must remember that the final decision rests with the judge.