What to Do if You Were the Victim of Medical Malpractice
It is imperative that anyone injured or harmed because of medical negligence contact an experienced hospital error lawyer or medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. The medical community carries a huge responsibility to ensure that all patients are given the proper caliber of care and that all procedures and regulations are followed. However, when a medical practitioner overlooks their responsibility, whether for profit or another reason, their negligent actions can significantly affect the lives of their patients. In some cases, the consequences of medical malpractice can affect victims for years or even decades, significantly affecting their quality of life and causing millions of dollars in completely avoidable medical expenses.
As a patient, it’s important to understand that there are certain things that you can do to protect your legal rights after you’ve been injured by medical malpractice. These include:
- Change healthcare providers. If your healthcare provider suspects that you are thinking about filing a malpractice claim, he or she may modify records or your treatment plan in an effort to minimize your chances of success.
- Get a copy of your medical records as soon as you can.
- Continue to seek medical treatment for your condition or for your malpractice-related injuries. In addition, follow your treatment recommendations and attend all follow-up appointments.
- Document details about the malpractice and the way your injuries have affected you. Medical malpractice cases can drag on for years, and it’s important to keep records of your contemporaneous observations about what occurred as well as the way in which the malpractice has affected your life.
- Finally, contact an attorney as soon as you can. Malpractice claims must be filed within a certain amount of time; if they are not, a judge will bar the claim entirely. In addition, it’s best to contact an attorney sooner rather than later, as waiting to start investigating an incident of medical malpractice can result in the loss or destruction of evidence critical to the success of your claim.
The dedicated medical malpractice lawyers at Alpert Schreyer have handled a variety of personal injury cases over the years and have extensive knowledge of the medical malpractice laws in Maryland. A patient who sustains injury due to a medical professional’s negligence deserves to know what their legal options are. Many times, a medical injury or condition caused by a healthcare provider’s oversight can be overwhelming for a family. The injured person may not be able to return to work, either temporarily or permanently in some cases, which can cause significant financial strain. In addition, mounting medical bills, decreased quality of life, and depression can take a serious toll, leaving the injured person and their family feeling utterly alone. However, the understanding attorneys at Alpert Schreyer are here to help. Call us today to learn how our legal team can help you.
What Damages Are Typically Available in a Malpractice Case?
When a negligent medical professional is held accountable for their actions, they may be required to financially compensate a patient or family members of a wrongfully killed patient for certain losses they suffered.
Some compensatory damages that may be available include, but are not limited to:
- Funeral expenses (if a wrongful death results)
- Loss of present and future income
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Rehabilitation costs
Contact a Maryland Attorney Today for a Free Consultation
If you have recently been the victim of medical malpractice, there’s a good chance that you’re concerned about the costs associated with hiring an attorney. This is certainly understandable, especially if the malpractice to which you were subjected resulted in additional medical expenses and is preventing you from working. Even if it didn’t result in either, it’s a well-known fact that lawyers can charge high hourly fees, and most of us want to save money whenever possible.
At Alpert Schreyer, we never charge our clients any up-front fees to work on a medical malpractice case. In addition, we will only collect fees at all if we successfully recover compensation on your behalf, and the fees we collect will be a percentage of your total recovery. In other words, you’ll never have to use money you already have to pay for legal representation. By using this type of fee arrangement, we can ensure that everyone who needs legal representation because of medical malpractice can get it, regardless of the ability to pay up front.
If you have suffered serious injury or illness due to medical malpractice in Maryland, please contact the personal injury law firm of Alpert Schreyer to see how we can help. Our dedicated legal staff is here to ensure that you understand your rights and options.
To schedule a free and confidential case evaluation, call today at (301) 812-4777 or email us.
