Medical malpractice cases are claimed by the patients who have been injured or harmed due to the negligence of medical practitioners or staff. The measure whether or not the medical staff has failed to provide adequate care or was negligent is measured on the basis of the treatment he or she would have received from other medical service providers under the same circumstances.
While all healthcare providers aim to operate at the highest standard of care, at times, things can go wrong. If you or your dear ones have experienced improper or medical care, then you are entitled to get compensated for your injury. When you hire a Nashville medical malpractice lawyer, they will walk you through the entire process, do all the work on your behalf and get you the compensation that you deserve. However, it is important that you should also be aware of the process related to making a medical malpractice claim.
- Get in touch with your medical service provider
The first step towards starting your case is to meet with the medical professional who treated you. It is important that you have a thorough understanding of what may have a thorough understanding of what happened and where things went wrong. So rather than filing the claim, give your doctor a chance to explain the situation and see whether or not there is a scope of rectification. A majority of the time, medical providers will perform the surgery free of costs to correct the issues or provide a necessary solution.
- Dial-up the medical licensing board
If the medical provider did not provide you with any solution, you should get in touch with the relevant licensing board that administrate the medical licenses. Although the board cannot ask the practitioner to compensate you for the loss, they can issue warning to the professional and may provide you with guidance with regards to your future steps.
- Be aware of the case filing timeline
It is important for you to be aware of the time you legally have to file the claim. All personal injury cases have a predetermined time limit within which they should file the case. These time limits are referred to as statutes of limitations, and they differ from one state to another. So be sure to check the statutes of limitation in your state to ensure the time you have to file the claim.
- Acquire a medical assessment
Nowadays, many states require you to file for a certificate of merit prior to filing your medical malpractice case. This is required in order to determine that the injured you have suffered is caused due to the negligence of medical professionals.
To obtain the certificate, you need to contact an expert who will evaluate your medical records and validate that there has been negligence on the part of a medical practitioner, which has caused the injuries. This certificate will be attached to your care files and will be important evidence that your action has merit.
- Inform medical practitioner and insurer
It is important to offer notice of a potential lawsuit to the medical practitioner and their insurance companies. You can do it formally or informally and generally it is a prerequisite to taking the case to court. However, it triggers the insurance companies, and they might come up to you with a settlement offer even before you file the suit. The assistance of an attorney can be very important here as he or she can ensure that you are not being bullied by the insurance company and do not end up with less than what you deserve.
- Try to opt for out of the court settlement
These cases are complicated and quite costly; which why people often opt to settle their cases out of the court. Additionally, healthcare professionals often hire insurance companies that often reject a large portion of medical claims. Subsequently, you will have to spend a lot of time on the case; therefore, it is better to settle the case out of court.
There are certain personal injury cases that you cannot fight alone, and medical malpractice cases are among them. These cases can get complicated, and insurance companies are likely to drain your time, money and energy. But when you have a medical malpractice lawyer working for you, you can leverage his or her experience and expertise to get the compensation you deserve.
