Hiring a medical malpractice attorney wherever you are in the world
We all hope we will go through life without needing the services of a lawyer. In particular, one that specializes in medical malpractice. Our health, and that of our family, is important to us. So, the thought of falling victim to medical malpractice is one that, understandably, horrifies us.
Yet, it happens more than you think. In an average year, 85,000 medical malpractice claims are filed in America alone. So, knowing what to do should you or a loved one be a victim is important. This is the case whether it happens at home and you need a medical malpractice attorney Pittsburgh, or a clinical negligence abogado in Spain because it happened when you were on vacation.
Below is a summary of the things you need to bear in mind when hiring a legal professional to sue a medical practitioner or institution. The guidance below applies, equally regardless of where you are located in the world.
A legal professional you can communicate effectively with
By their very nature, medical negligence claims are complex. There are a lot of moving parts to these kinds of cases. Often, it is a series of small mistakes that lead to your being injured or suffering unnecessary long-term health issues.
For example, your travel insurance provider may say they will not pay for a scan the hospital asks for. This could lead to a small, but important, injury going undiagnosed. If the hospital then also misses the early signs of a developing problem, what could be quite a small issue can soon turn into a disastrous one for you. In that situation, it could be the insurer who is at fault, the hospital or both. To uncover who, if anyone, can be sued your lawyer will need to ask you very complex and detailed questions. You will have to answer them in full. If during that conversation, something gets missed or misunderstood, your case for compensation could fall apart.
So, you need to hire a lawyer who you can easily communicate with. Ideally, you will both speak the same native language. If you are hiring a legal professional abroad, start your search using the list of local lawyers that most embassies provide. They are far more likely to be fluent in your native language.
A lawyer with the relevant experience
Unfortunately, there are certain mistakes that get made again and again by the medical profession. For example, in the USA, around 1.5 million people are given the wrong medication during a hospital stay. As a result, many medical malpractice lawyers specialize in a specific type of case. If you can, hire one that has experience of dealing with the actual issue you have had. Doing so will improve your chances of achieving the outcome you want.
A lawyer you can afford
It is very important to understand how much you will have to pay your lawyer. So, always take the time to discuss their fees. This short article explains how to understand the different payment structures and negotiate the best deal. The tips you will find there can potentially be applied regardless of where in the world you need to hire a lawyer.
