Medical malpractice claims are among the most intimidating lawsuits to pursue. First and foremost, you’re having your medical information revealed in court, which isn’t a very pleasant experience for most people. Second, you’re going up against medical doctors and experts who will fight you at every step of the way. The following information might help you to deal with some of these challenges.
Most of the Time, You Won’t Go to Court
The first thing to keep in mind is that you won’t go to court most of the time. Doctors carry malpractice insurance and, most of the time, the insurance companies will offer you a settlement to avoid going to court. As this article on Superpages points out, however, you cannot sue if you accept a settlement. This is why you want to get the advice of an attorney before you ever accept a settlement, as what you’re offering may not really be as much as it seems like.
Many Cases Are Misdiagnoses
Around half of the medical malpractice claims filed in any given year are due to misdiagnoses. If you feel that your doctor missed something, there was no reason for them to miss it and you suffered because of that negligence, you may want to consider suing. If you do sue, you won’t be alone. Talk to an attorney about these situations, as you may have better grounds to sue than you thought at first.
Numbers Help
Your attorney will have access to medical experts. If you’re not to the point of contacting an attorney yet, you may want to seek out other opinions in the meantime. Go to other doctors and see what they think about what happened and if there was something that was done incorrectly. Make sure, of course, that you’re not visiting a colleague of the doctor you’re doubtful of, as there is a chance that they may try to cover for them.
You Need to Act Quickly
Talk to an attorney if you’re considering suing for malpractice. They may not want your claim, but they at least can let you know how long you have remaining to file a lawsuit. Laws regarding medical malpractice claims are tightening up all over the nation, so it’s important to act fast so that you don’t miss your chance to file a claim. Once the limitation has passed, you no longer have the right to sue at any time in the future.