Surgical errors are a common form of medical malpractice that occur due to negligence. If you believe you’ve experienced a surgical error, then ensure you contact a surgical error lawyer for advice. However, you’ll need to ensure that you find an attorney who’s the right fit for you and your case. Experience, people skills, and a high success rate are vital in any attorney you choose to work with.
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8 Tips for Finding the Right Surgical Error Lawyer for Your Case
1. Pick a Firm
When looking for a surgical error lawyer in Baltimore, the first thing you’ll need to do is select a single law firm that you feel is in high standing. This will make it much easier when you begin narrowing down your choices as you evaluate attorneys. Consulting with various attorneys across multiple firms will only become too stressful as time goes on, so staying with one firm is always best.
2. Contact the Firm
Some law firms have several practice areas, and it’s difficult to know which of the attorneys specialize in which practice areas if it isn’t stated on their website. Contact the firm and let them know what kind of case you’re dealing with, then ask which of the attorneys specialize in cases similar to yours.
3. Research the Attorneys
If the firm has given you a list of attorneys who may be suitable for your case, then you should start researching them as soon as possible. Look into their education, professional associations, and awards, if any. These will often be listed on the law firm’s website. Ensure the attorneys are all in good standing and read up on anything you can find about them online.
4. Pick Three Attorneys
There will likely be more than one candidate who’s more than qualified to take on your case within the firm. However, it’s far too time-consuming to have a consultation with every single attorney there. You should narrow your choices down to three. Make sure you have a list of backup options just in case.
5. Ask About Their Experience
There are certain questions you should ask during your consultation with each attorney. One of the most important questions to ask is in regards to their experience working on cases similar to yours. Ask how many years they’ve been taking on surgical error cases, and inquire about the type of surgical error cases they’ve worked on, too.
Not all surgical error cases are alike. Sometimes the cases are purely down to medical negligence in the operating room, and the doctor will have damaged an organ they weren’t operating on. Other times the negligence has occurred elsewhere in the hospital, and you were given another patient’s procedure by mistake. These cases are often very different, so working with an attorney with experience dealing with cases as similar to yours as possible is vital.
6. Ask About Their Success Rate
How many times has this attorney won compensation for their clients? How big of a settlement did they win, and was it the amount they initially claimed for? These are questions you must ask to determine whether or not you feel comfortable working with this attorney.
Don’t work with somebody who’s had more losses than wins. It’s also not the best idea to work with someone whose clients ended up walking away with much lower settlements than they tried to win.
7. Evaluate Their Personality
Some attorneys are highly skilled, and they seem like the perfect person for the job on paper. However, they may have a personality that’s too dry for your liking. On the other side of the coin, you may not like how bright and bubbly your attorney is. Not everyone will get along with every attorney, and that’s fine. So, make sure you gel well with the person you choose to work with.
You should also ensure the person you’re working with is compassionate and empathetic. You may be dealing with the effects of emotional distress after all you’ve been through, so working with somebody unempathetic simply isn’t an option for many people.
8. Make Your Choice
The attorney you choose should be the one who makes you feel comfortable and listened to, is the most qualified for the job, and is someone you get along well with. If none of the three attorneys you consulted with fit these criteria, then return to your list and talk to three more attorneys until you find the right person for you.
Finding the right attorney isn’t always a quick process, but it’s worth taking the time out to find the right person for the job. Always ensure you work with an attorney with the right qualifications and a personality that’s compatible with yours. Making sure you’re comfortable and feel confident in your attorney’s abilities is vital during a surgical error case.
