If you believe that substandard care provided by a physician, nurse, pharmacist, medical facility, or any other medical provider has either caused or exacerbated physical harm, it is important to speak with an attorney about your situation. Not every negative medical outcome or turn of events is cause for legal action. However, the fact that medical errors are now regularly cited as the number three cause of death in the U.S. and an untold number of Americans suffer non-fatal harm as a result of medical negligence every year, it is not unreasonable to wonder whether any harm you have suffered at the hands of a medical provider could be cause for legal action.
As an experienced medical malpractice lawyer – can confirm, it isn’t always easy to know at first glance whether a patient has strong grounds upon which to file legal action against a medical provider. Oftentimes, an attorney must investigate the details surrounding the alleged harm before they can provide objective guidance with clarity. With that said, a lawyer can usually tell prospective clients quite a bit about their rights and options during an initial consultation. A risk-free consultation setting allows individuals who have legal questions to confer with an attorney with “no strings attached” and this opportunity is often extended to potential injury victims at no cost.
Preparing for a Consultation
One of the best things that you can do while preparing for a legal consultation is to write down all of your questions and concerns. Too often, individuals arrive at legal consultations only to discover that they can’t recall important questions that they wished to ask. Making sure that you have all of your questions and concerns on paper (or a phone app) for easy reference will help you to ensure that you have all the information you need to make some decisions one way or another by the time you leave a lawyer’s office.
Additionally, it can be very helpful if you bring along any medical documents, photographs, or other documentation of reference that can aid an attorney in understanding the details of your situation. The only way that you can receive personalized guidance is by providing enough information for an attorney to draw informed conclusions.
Finally, if you don’t feel comfortable attending a consultation on your own, that’s okay. Ask a trusted loved one to accompany you and to take notes during the session so that you can have some informed support when making decisions about your options.