If you’re in the midst of a medical malpractice case, it can be a stressful time in your life. Never mind the fact that you’ve been the victim of medical malpractice; as a plaintiff in such a case, you’ll have legal deadlines and court appointments to navigate, not to mention paying for any additional medical costs. All of these different factors can pull you in a number of directions and contribute to a very trying time for you and your family. If you’re facing a medical malpractice case and need some tips for how to make it through the proceedings, here are a few steps you’ll want to make sure to follow.
Retain an experienced lawyer
One of the first things you should do when you’re planning on pressing charges for medical malpractice is to consult with legal counsel. Many attorneys in the personal injury or medical malpractice field offer a free consultation prior to taking on your case. This ensures that you’re on the same page with your lawyer and that you actually have a case worth pursuing in the first place. Through all your case’s ups and downs, an experienced lawyer can help guide you and keep you on a winning trajectory. It’s a good idea to retain a lawyer that is local to the hospital or doctor where your medical malpractice took place. This is because medical malpractice attorneys in New Mexico are more familiar with the local statutes in their state than medical malpractice lawyers from Rhode Island and vice versa. Choosing someone with experience in the city you’re pressing charges in is vital if you want to have a leg up during the trial.
Lean on your faith community
If your medical malpractice attorney can’t get your health care provider to settle outside of court and you do go to trial, the legal system can be grueling. In addition to taking a while, in order to prove negligence and malpractice, your lawyer will probably need to call on other expert medical professionals who’re able to prove the correct standard of medical care and confirm that your doctor made a medical error. All of this can take its toll on you, so staying grounded in your faith and church community can help give you the strength you need to fight another day. Even knowing that your children are attending Vacation Bible School, or VBS, can give you the peace of mind that you’ll have some time to yourself during the proceedings. There are numerous ways that your church can help you during a difficult time like being in a trial, so make sure to reach out to your pastor to see how they may be able to support you.
Ask questions
You’ll likely have a lot of questions throughout your medical malpractice case. It’s okay for you to ask these questions, and, in fact, doing so could be incredibly helpful in your coping with the negative impact of your medical malpractice and the demands of the trial. Whether it’s speaking with your attorney so that you understand what sort of settlement you’re likely to receive or talking to your priest to connect you with other families who may have been in your shoes, it never hurts to ask. It may even be a good idea to ask a few questions to your insurance provider when it comes to how different claims or policies will be affected by your case. The more information you have, the less anxiety you’ll have since you’ll be able to make informed decisions as you move throughout the process. Medical malpractice can be confusing enough even with the right personal injury attorney and the comfort of God’s word, so do yourself a favor and seek out more information when necessary.
