If you have obtained medical care, given the wrong treatment, or denied proper care, and suffered harm as a a result, it is important to contact an experienced Los Angeles medical malpractice attorney at once. They can help you review the facts and begin an investigation into just what went wrong. While determining whether medical malpractice occurred and caused the alleged harm may be a difficult and long analysis requiring a expert review, there are a few factors you should evaluate prior to bringing a lawsuit.
First, it is important to understand that obtaining justice for your injuries may be costly. The majority of plaintiffs injured by medical malpractice are represented on a contingency fee basis. This means that you only pay your attorney if you win. While it's a comfort to know that you need not pay up front for legal representation, it is important to understand that litigation may be costly. As such, it's important to weigh the amount you might recover if successful vs. the cost and stress of filing a lawsuit. Additionally, you should consider how strong you believe your case is that the medical professional did something wrong. Claims involving "bad results" are not always successful, you much show that the medical professional failed to meet the appropriate standard of care. This can be tough to prove if experts have varying opinions regarding the best way to treat a medical issue. However, where a doctor or hospital has acted negligently or recklessly, a skilled California attorney can help you obtain justice and compensate you for your losses.
Determining exactly who to sue is also important. The hospital where you were treated may have done nothing wrong, but a doctor with surgical privileges there may have been negligent. In such case, if the doctor is not an employee of the hospital, he may be the only defendant. However, where the hospital employees fail to follow proper protocol - or the hospital doesn't have protocols in place to prevent harm - the hospital may be held responsible as well. Often, hospitals have greater resources to pay injured plaintiffs than individual defendants do. A skilled medical malpractice attorney can help you determine the appropriate parties to sue and the appropriate grounds.
Other considerations include being mentally prepared to fight for justice for your loved ones. Seeking justice through the court system can be very rewarding. However plaintiffs should prepare themselves that a positive resolution may take several months or even years.
For more information or if you believe you may have suffered harm due to medical malpractice, we urge you to consult one of our experienced Los Angeles medical malpractice lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, right away for an in-person, confidential consultation. We can help answer your questions and help you determine the best course of action for you and your loved ones.
