If you’ve experienced medical malpractice, then you deserve a chance to pursue compensation. Finding an experienced, highly knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyer in Baltimore, MD is crucial when you wish to pursue damages from the party responsible for the malpractice. The information below should help you find the right attorney to handle your case.
What to Consider When Choosing a Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Baltimore, MD
The Lawyer’s Experience
Experienced attorneys understand the nuances of medical malpractice law, and they have the right connections that can help with your case. Check out this site to get in contact with a law firm with over 50 years of experience serving Maryland clients.
Ensure the attorney you choose has handled cases like yours before, as there are many types of medical malpractice. Types of cases include surgical errors, birth injuries, medication errors, emergency room errors, and misdiagnosis. For example, a malpractice lawyer with vast experience working on surgical error cases, but who’s never worked on another type of malpractice case, may not be the best choice to tackle your birth injury claim.
The Lawyer’s Success Rate
Experience doesn’t always indicate skill. If your attorney is very experienced, but they have a low success rate for their clients, then they’re probably not the best person to represent your case. Look for an attorney with plenty of successful outcomes in their case history. Success in and out of the courtroom is essential.
Make sure your attorney has recovered damages for clients with cases similar to yours, too. For instance, if you’re dealing with a birth injury claim, then you’ll want an attorney who has recovered compensation in birth injury claims previously. Plus, if you’re seeking a large amount of compensation, then finding a lawyer who’s been successful at recovering high sums for their clients is vital.
The Lawyer’s Reputation
As you’ll be working very closely with your attorney, it’s important that you trust them and feel comfortable working with them. Search for reviews and client testimonials before you begin working with any lawyer. They’ll give you an idea of how clients felt during their time working with this attorney. If clients have expressed discomfort or distrust, or if the attorney and their firm don’t seem to have the best reputation, then look elsewhere for legal help.
Questions to Ask Your Potential Attorney
Once you’re certain you’re speaking to an experienced attorney with a high success rate and a good reputation, you can begin asking them questions. How they answer specific questions will let you know whether this is the right lawyer for you.
Who Will Be Handling My Case?
When you have a free consultation with a law firm, the lawyer you speak to won’t always be the person handling your case. Another associate at the firm may be handling most or all of the work. You should speak to the specific person who’ll be handling your case before you decide to work with a law firm. Knowing everybody on your legal team is essential.
Do You Have Contacts Who Can Help with My Case?
An experienced attorney should have contacts that help them handle medical malpractice cases. They should have working relationships with medical investigators, expert witnesses, and any other professionals who can help with investigating the claim and gathering evidence. If the attorney you’re considering working with has the right contacts, then that’s a point in their favor.
How Do You Handle Billing and Expenses?
Knowing how you’re going to pay your attorney is a must. If your attorney charges by the hour, but you can’t afford the fee, then that isn’t the right attorney for you. Many medical malpractice attorneys charge a contingency fee, meaning they take a percentage of the compensation they recover for you. If they don’t win your case, then you won’t be charged for their services.
There are some expenses that will likely arise during your case that must be paid, however, whether you win or lose, such as court filing fees. Ask your attorney if you must pay these fees or if the law firm covers all the expenses related to the case and under what conditions.
Final Considerations When Choosing the Right Attorney
Before you hire an attorney, there are a few more things to look into. Make sure they’re in good standing with the Maryland Bar Association, and ensure they don’t have any disciplinary actions against them. Make sure your attorney is good at explaining legal terms in ways you can understand. Lastly, be wary if your attorney makes you promises or guarantees, especially before they’ve dug deep into your case.
Choosing a medical malpractice attorney with relevant experience, past successful cases, and good client testimonials is key. Make sure you ask every attorney lots of questions, and use their answers to help you determine whether this is the right lawyer for you to work with.
