On behalf of Smiley & Smiley, LLP posted in Medical Malpractice on Monday, March 30, 2015.
If you are concerned that you or a loved one may have suffered a preventable illness or injury due to a medical provider’s negligence, you may be thinking about filing a medical malpractice claim. There is absolutely no shame in filing a legitimate claim. Medical providers owe their patients a certain standard of care. If your provider has not exercised that standard of care, you are absolutely entitled to hold that provider accountable for the harm you have suffered.
It is important to note that it may take some legal work to determine whether or not your suspicions are correct. Seeking the truth is your right. Speaking with an attorney about your situation does not commit you to any specific course of action, but failing to file a claim within a certain period of time may bar you from receiving the compensation you deserve. Therefore, if you are thinking about filing a medical malpractice claim, it is important to speak with an attorney sooner rather than later about your legal options.
Your attorney will likely begin by questioning you about the specifics of your situation and reviewing any medical documentation that you have access to. If you have not already signed insurance paperwork or liability waivers related to your care, please avoid signing this kind of documentation before speaking with an attorney. Doing so may make obtaining compensation more difficult.
After your attorney has spoken with you, he or she will likely begin researching specifics related to your situation. Your attorney may contact your medical providers and/or your insurance company before advising you whether or not it will likely benefit you to file a claim.
Source: Findlaw Injured, “Medical Malpractice: First Steps of a Case,” Christopher Coble, March 26, 2015
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