Did you know that between 20,000 to 120,000 people die from medical malpractice each year? Thousands of more are injured from the negligence of healthcare staff.
If you or a loved one have suffered losses following a surgery or hospital visit, then you’re likely considering going forward with a medical malpractice case. If you decide this is the best course of action, then you must find a good medical malpractice attorney in Albuquerque.
Why? Because they’re your best chance of winning the settlement you deserve. In this article, we’ll go over why you need an attorney and how to find one. Let’s get started!
Why Do You Need a Medical Malpractice Attorney For Your Case?
Technically you can represent yourself in the court of law with a medical malpractice case. However, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. For one thing, there tends to be more at stake with medical malpractice cases.
Small claims court cases around property damage might win you a little money, but it’s not a big deal if you lose. The same isn’t true for medical malpractice cases.
Often families are stuck with expensive, long-term healthcare bills, or incalculable pain and suffering. As such, you deserve the highest chance of success you can get which comes with hiring a competent medical malpractice attorney.
There’s also the complexity of the legal territory to consider. A medical malpractice lawsuit requires you to gather extensive medical and legal information. You must then make your case, and then refute and medical evidence that the other side produces.
Unless you specialize in medical malpractice law, then your chances of winning a settlement are slim to none. Finally, there’s the stress factor to consider. Lawsuits are stressful situations even when you have a competent lawyer.
So, when you take all the responsibility on your shoulders it’s easy to completely break down.
Especially, considering you’re likely reeling from trauma or loss. A good lawyer will care about your well-being and take as much of the responsibility off your shoulders as possible.
How to Find the Right Medical Malpractice Attorney in Albuquerque
So, now we know why attorneys are important for medical malpractice lawsuits. Unfortunately, not all medical malpractice attorneys are created equally.
If you want your greatest chances of success, then it’s important to find one with both experience and empathy for your case. In this section, we’ll go over the steps to find the best medical malpractice attorney in Albuquerque. If you have any specific questions surrounding medical malpractice cases, then check out these FAQ’s.
- Ask Around and Research Attorneys In Your Area
Often people’s first instinct is hopping on Google and picking the first medical malpractice option. However, there are better options for finding a competent law team. First, ask family, friends, or work acquaintances.
You’d be surprised how many people might know the number of a good attorney that deals with medical malpractice. You can also try talking to your health insurance company. Oftentimes they have a network of lawyers that they can put you in touch with.
Another option is to call the bar association in whatever city or town that you live in. These local associations often have reference tools for putting you in touch with experienced medical malpractice attorneys.
If you want, then you can also talk to doctors other than the ones involved in the case. Primary care physicians often have connections to medical malpractice attorneys in the area.
Finally, if you know attorneys that specialize in other areas, then talk to them. They likely know individuals that deal specifically in medical malpractice.
- Contact the Attorney
Once you find one or two options it’s time to make contact with a phone call, email, or visit. During this consultation, you should ask them a variety of questions to gauge their experience as well as their pricing model. Here are some of the questions that we recommend asking when you visit them:
- How much of your practice is dedicated strictly to medical malpractice cases?
- What percentage of your medical malpractice cases go to trial?
- What percentage are settled out of court?
- Will the lawyer handle the cast itself? Or will a team of paralegals be dealing with it?
- What is your fee agreement?
- How are these case costs paid for?
Generally speaking, you want a medical malpractice attorney that will be as involved as possible. This means that a significant portion of their practice is devoted to it.
It also means that they’ll be personally handling aspects of your case. In terms of cost, most medical malpractice attorneys operate on a contingency percentage fee. However, you should also find out about hidden fees like court costs, witnesses, and other legal fees.
- Send Your Attorney the Necessary Documentation
Once you find the attorney you want, then it’s time to send them all the necessary documentation. The more information you provide the better chance that they have of proving your case. Here are some of the documents that you should send them:
- All medical files that deal with the injury or death
- Any mental health files associated with the case
- Any drug prescriptions involved
- Healthcare insurance information
- Details about any wages lost due to the injury or death
- Any documents provided by the doctor that you’re suing
Want More Content? Keep Reading
We hope this article helped you find the right medical malpractice attorney in Albuquerque. As you can see, the complexity of these cases requires an attorney with specialized knowledge surrounding them.
The good news is that there are likely many experienced law teams near you that want to help. So, contact them today and get you the justice you deserve. Did you enjoy this article? If the answer is yes, then you’re in the right place. Keep reading to find more topics that you’re sure to love.