If you believe that a doctor, hospital, or other healthcare provider caused you serious harm, meeting with a medical malpractice attorney can help you understand your legal options. Medical malpractice cases are often complicated, involving detailed medical records, expert testimony, and questions about whether a provider’s actions actually caused the patient’s injuries.
Preparing for your initial consultation can help you get more from the meeting. Here are some important questions to ask a Seattle medical malpractice attorney when discussing a potential claim.
Do You Think I Have a Medical Malpractice Case?
One of the first questions to ask is whether the facts appear to support a medical malpractice claim. A poor medical outcome does not necessarily mean malpractice occurred.
Generally, a successful claim requires evidence that a healthcare provider failed to meet the applicable standard of care and that this failure caused injury or worsened the patient’s condition. An attorney can explain which aspects of your case may require further investigation.
What Information Do You Need to Evaluate My Claim?
Ask what documents or other information will be needed. Depending on the circumstances, this may include medical records, imaging results, prescription information, hospital discharge instructions, photographs, correspondence with healthcare providers, and a timeline of what happened.
Your lawyer may also want information about your condition before the alleged malpractice and the treatment you have received since.
Will Medical Experts Need to Review My Case?
Expert testimony plays an important role in many Washington medical malpractice cases. Medical experts may be needed to determine the appropriate standard of care, identify how a provider may have departed from that standard, and explain whether the negligence caused the patient’s injuries.
Ask how the firm selects medical experts and when expert review typically occurs.
How Much Experience Do You Have With Similar Cases?
Medical malpractice is a specialized area of litigation. Consider asking whether the attorney has handled claims involving circumstances similar to yours, such as surgical errors, delayed diagnoses, birth injuries, medication errors, or emergency room negligence.
Prior experience does not guarantee a particular result, but it can provide insight into the attorney’s familiarity with the medical and legal issues involved.
How Long Could My Medical Malpractice Case Take?
Medical malpractice lawsuits can take considerable time to investigate and resolve. Ask the attorney what the process may involve and what factors could affect the timeline.
You should also discuss Washington’s deadlines for bringing medical malpractice claims. Waiting too long to speak with an attorney could affect your ability to pursue compensation.
What Will It Cost to Pursue the Case?
Before hiring a lawyer, understand how legal fees and case expenses will be handled. Ask whether the firm works on a contingency fee basis and how expenses such as medical expert fees, depositions, records, and litigation costs are addressed.
Make sure you understand the fee arrangement before signing a representation agreement.
What Happens Next If You Accept My Case?
Finally, ask what you should expect after the consultation. Will the firm obtain your medical records? Will an expert review them? Who will be your primary contact? How often will you receive updates?
A medical malpractice consultation is not only an opportunity for an attorney to evaluate your claim. It is also your chance to evaluate the attorney. Asking the right questions can help you choose a Seattle medical malpractice lawyer who has the experience, resources, and approach needed to handle your case.
Contact Otorowski & Golden, PLLC
Please know that our firm is here to help if you were injured due to a medical provider’s malpractice. Otorowski & Golden, PLLC provides free consultations to all our potential clients. The attorneys at our law firm also have over 120 years of combined experience representing injured parties in medical malpractice cases. They never back down to insurers and fight for their clients’ interests every step of the way. Do yourself a favor and contact them now for the quality legal representation you deserve.