What Should I Ask When Meeting with a Medical Malpractice Attorney?

If you think your doctor made a mistake, a medical malpractice attorney may be able to help you hold them accountable. Although physicians cannot guarantee every procedure will go as planned, they can follow accepted, evidence-based standards of care, thereby reducing the risk of patient injury along the way.

During your first meeting with a seasoned lawyer, you’ll discuss what happened, including the ways in which you think your provider was negligent. You should be prepared to answer all kinds of questions about the incident. Once your attorney understands the facts of the case, they can help you determine how best to proceed.

At the end of the meeting, you’ll get the opportunity to ask questions of your own. This is your chance to confirm whether taking action has the potential to be financially viable and, if so, whether you’ve found the right attorney(s) to represent you.

To ensure you don’t forget any of your questions, it’s wise to write them down in advance and bring the list with you to the consultation. Here’s a list of some of the most important questions that will be worth asking:

• Have you handled malpractice claims involving similar medical errors before? If so, what kinds of strategies did you apply, and what were their outcomes?
• How do you think we can prove negligence?
• What kinds of experts can you call upon for testimony to bolster my case?
• What kinds of damages am I entitled to recover, and how much do you think my total claim might be worth?
• Do you think my case is likely to end up at trial?
• Do you have trial experience?
• What is your fee structure?
• How can I reach you if a question or concern arises over the course of the proceedings?
• How often will you update me on the status of my claim?

What Should I Bring to My First Meeting with a Medical Malpractice Attorney?

In addition to writing a list of question, compiling various documents to bring to your initial consultation will ensure the meeting is as productive as possible. If you have any of the following, make copies for yourself, and then bring the originals with you to the law firm for safekeeping:

• Hospital logs;
• Diagnostic images;
• Photographs of any visible wounds;
• Correspondence with the doctor or facility where the malpractice occurred;
• Billing statements from your health insurance carrier;
• Paystubs detailing any work you missed while recovering from the complications you suffered;
• A written statement explaining everything that happened in your own words;
• Records from the providers who treated your complications;
• Pharmacy receipts;
• Psychological evaluations; and
• Journal entries logging the long road to recovery.

Call 864-585-3873 to Discuss Your Case with a South Carolina Medical Malpractice Lawyer

At Hodge & Langley Law Firm, we are dedicated to ensuring safe medical practice in our community and to holding negligent providers accountable for any unreasonable acts or omissions. If you or someone you love suffered serious injuries from a medical error that could have been prevented, we’ll help you gather the evidence needed to prove it so you can bring a lawsuit for damages. Call 864-585-3873 or fill out our Contact Form to schedule a free case review with a medical malpractice attorney in South Carolina.