Medical Malpractice 101: The Top Signs You Need to Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Every year, hospitals and medical centers throughout the U.S. spend billions of dollars in medical malpractice payouts. In fact, in 2012, the healthcare industry spent money on a payout once every 43 minutes!

Have you recently been injured while under a physician’s care? If so, you deserve compensation for your injuries.

Things aren’t always so black and white, though. If you’re unsure of whether or not you ought to file a lawsuit, keep reading.

Listed below are ten signs that it might be a good idea for you to hire a medical malpractice lawyer to help you with your case.

1. Insurance Issues

If you’re getting stonewalled by an insurance company or you’re having difficulty filing a claim for any reason, that’s a major sign that you ought to call a medical malpractice lawyer.

A malpractice lawyer will speak with the insurance company on your behalf and work hard to ensure you get the kind of payout from them that you deserve.

Often, if the insurance company simply knows that you have a lawyer on your side, they’ll be more inclined to work with you than if you were acting alone.

2. Paperwork Woes

When it comes to filing a medical malpractice claim, there’s almost always a lot of paperwork involved.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the paperwork and don’t understand exactly what these forms that you’re filling out are, that’s another sign that you ought to hire a malpractice lawyer.

He or she will be able to guide you through the process and ensure everything is getting filled out in the correct way.

3. Disabling or Permanent Injuries

Anyone who experiences disabling or permanent injuries at the hands of a healthcare professional deserves compensation for those injuries.

If you’re in this situation right now, it’s important to hire a malpractice lawyer as soon as you can.

The longer you wait to hire someone, the harder it will be to prove your case. You need to act right away so they can get to work getting you the compensation you deserve.

4. You Know Negligence Occurred

If you know that your doctor or another healthcare professional was negligent, you should definitely have a malpractice lawyer working on your case.

If you have overheard the staff at the hospital or doctor’s office talking or they’ve acknowledged to you that someone made a mistake, reach out to a lawyer as soon as you can.

5. Don’t Know the Value of Your Claim

Maybe you know that you have a case on your hands. You might not know the value of it, though.

If you’ve received an offer for a payout from an insurance company but you’re not sure if it’s high enough, that’s a sign that you could benefit from working with a malpractice lawyer.

They can evaluate your payout based on your situation and determine whether it’s fair. If it’s not, they’ll work with the insurance company to get you what you deserve.

6. You Need Negotiation Assistance

Taking on an insurance company is a tricky business. This is especially true when you’re dealing with a case worth several thousands (maybe even millions) of dollars.

If you’re not confident in your negotiation skills, don’t try to tackle this on your own. Instead, take it as a sign that you need to reach out to a malpractice lawyer and ask for their assistance.

They handle these negotiations every day, and they’re much better equipped to help you with them.

7. You’re Worried About Making Mistakes

Have you found yourself feeling overwhelmed and so afraid of making a mistake when filling out paperwork or dealing with an insurance agency that you’re not doing anything at all?

If you’re paralyzed by fear and anxiety, you need to hire a malpractice lawyer to help you. They’ll be able to take away some of your stress and make sure everything gets done in the proper way.

8. You Lack Resources

If you suspect you have a case but aren’t entirely sure, that’s a sign that you ought to have a malpractice lawyer on your side.

You might not have the resources yourself to understand the scope of your case, but a qualified malpractice lawyer will. For example, they can connect with medical experts who understand your condition and the treatment you received.

With all these resources at their disposal, they’ll have an easier time determining whether you have a case and whether it’s worth pursuing.

9. High Stress Levels

If you’re so stressed out about your claim that it’s impeding your ability to heal and recover, you need to bring in a lawyer to help you out.

It’s bad enough that you experienced an injury or worsened symptoms at the hands of someone who was supposed to take care of you. Now, you need to focus on recovery.

Hire a lawyer to focus on the other aspects of your case so you can do what you need to do to heal.

10. New Laws

If you live in a state where new medical malpractice laws have recently been introduced — such as these new laws — having a medical malpractice lawyer on your side will help you ensure you’re acting in accordance with them (and that your healthcare providers are, too).

Your lawyer will have extensive knowledge of the law and the changes made to it, and they’ll make sure you’re treated fairly under them.

Even if your state doesn’t have new laws in place, a lawyer will also help you ensure you understand the existing ones.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today

Everyone wants to know that they’re in good hands when they’re working with a healthcare professional, especially if they’re going in for surgery.

We’d like to trust that our physicians never make mistakes. That’s not always the case, though.

If you’ve noticed any of these issues since your injury occurred, you can likely benefit from hiring a medical malpractice lawyer.

Do you need help finding the right lawyer to help with your case? If so, check out our free online law directory today.

We make it easier than ever for you to find lawyers in your area.