<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A medical malpractice lawsuit can arise when a medical care provider, such as a doctor or nurse, harms or injures a patient by failing to provide the proper standard of care</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. If you believe you have been a victim of medical negligence and would like to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against a professional, here are some pointers on how to get started and what to consider.</span></p>
<h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 20pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Get Assistance from an Attorney</span></h2>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The process of litigating a medical malpractice case is long and difficult. It should be handled with the help of an attorney with a qualified legal background. They will be able to guide you through the complicated and rigorous process of filing a medical malpractice suit against your medical provider. So <a href="#evaluation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">g</a></span><a href="#evaluation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">et help from an attorney today!</span></a></p>
<h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 20pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Making sure your case has merit</span></h2>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the first steps your attorney will take is finding out whether or not your medical malpractice claim has merit. This can be done by:</span></p>
<ol>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Reading and evaluating your medical records; and</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Sending your medical records for review by an expert in the relevant medical field.</li>
</ol>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In some states, an Affidavit of Merit - a statement that the case has the merit that is sworn by a medical expert - is required to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although not all states require an Affidavit of Merit at the time the lawsuit is filed, it is still necessary for the litigation process to know that a claim against the medical provider has a legal and medical basis.&nbsp; </span></p>
<h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 20pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How long do you have to file a medical malpractice lawsuit?</span></h2>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every state has a different governing deadline for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against a medical professional. These deadlines are referred to as statutes of limitations. It is very important to know the statute of limitation rules of your state so your lawsuit is not time barred.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every statute of limitation has a standard deadline. This gives you a certain length of time to file a medical malpractice lawsuit after the negligent act or omission has occurred. The number of years you have typically ranged from 2 to 5 based on state, but varies.</span></p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are not able to file a lawsuit before the deadline, you lose the right to sue for medical malpractice. </span></p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This rule allows you to extend the statute of limitations because the negligence was not identifiable right away, or you did not start experiencing adverse symptoms immediately. The statute of limitations clock begins when the patient discovers or reasonably should have discovered, that the medical provider engaged in some negligent act or omission. However, if the harm has been obvious and you choose not to treat it, the discovery rule may not apply to you.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The discovery rule does not exist in every state, and in many states, there are time restrictions to the discovery rule, so it is important to consult an attorney as soon as you become aware that you may be the victim of medical malpractice. </span></p>
<h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 20pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cost of Filing a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit with an Attorney</span><strong style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When bringing a medical malpractice lawsuit, there is no payment to the attorney unless the case results in a financial award in the form of a financial settlement or judgment. Medical malpractice attorneys usually have contingency fees.&nbsp; These fees are a percentage of the award or settlement amount received by the plaintiff. However, if the case results in a loss, there is no reward to the plaintiff. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The percentage that is taken after a reward varies among different states based on their medical malpractice laws, and different attorneys base their contingency fees on different criteria. Attorney&rsquo;s fees can be a fixed percentage of the award or settlement or can change depending on the award or settlement amount. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One benefit of bringing a medical malpractice lawsuit using a reputable attorney is that they may pay for the upfront costs associated with bringing the case so that you are not burdened so much that you cannot pursue justice. This money will eventually have to be paid back if you win the case, but will often be forgiven if the case loses. The most costly expense that the attorney will face will likely be hiring expert witnesses.</span></p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Expert witnesses are individuals who are qualified to testify at a trial due to their expertise in a certain field, for example, doctors, surgeons, and nurses. </span></p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They charge based on how much time and effort it takes to review documents, travel, and participation in court. Other costs may consist of court filing fees and medical record retrieval fees. All these litigation expenses are taken care of upfront by the attorney and the firm that they are part of, and will be deducted from any award or settlement you receive.</span></p>
<h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 20pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Basic Requirements to File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To begin a medical malpractice lawsuit, you must be aware of the basic requirements that come with it. The questions that you might want to ask yourself are:</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Was there a doctor-patient relationship?</span></h3>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Doctor-patient relationships are initiated under specific conditions, but not every interaction with a doctor initiates this type of relationship. It is easy to prove that there is a relationship if the doctor has been treating you for some time. Every visit and consultation is recorded for medical and legal purposes. However,&nbsp; casual conversations with a doctor outside the office or over the phone that includes general advice on how to treat something, like with a friend who is a doctor, does not always initiate a doctor-patient relationship.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">his specific topic rarely becomes an issue in litigation, because most of the time treatments administered by doctors occur in established doctor-patient relationships.</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 18pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Was the medical care provider negligent?</span></h3>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Medical malpractice lawsuits are born out of a belief that the doctor deviated from the proper standard of care. In order to file a lawsuit, the attorney must allege that the medical care provider departed from standard medical practice and did something that most medical providers would not do, or failed to do something that most providers would have done.</span></p>
<h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 18pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Did the medical provider&rsquo;s negligence lead to injury?</span></h3>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes doctors, nurses, and other medical providers engage in negligent acts or omissions, but they do not result in any harm. For example, perhaps you have prescribed an incorrect dosage of a prescription drug or the wrong prescription drug, but you notice before taking the medication and contact your doctor. In cases like that, usually, no injury occurs. </span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes patients go into treatment or surgery already injured. For example, a patient can go into surgery with a deadly disease and the doctor makes a mistake during the surgery. The patient then dies. It could be hard to differentiate whether the mistake or the disease caused the death of the patient. This may warrant expert review in order to better understand what caused the death.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whenever you&rsquo;re in doubt, if you are not sure what the injury is, or you are not sure if the doctor&rsquo;s act or omission caused the injury you are suffering from, you should consult an attorney to better understand the merits and basis of your claim.</span></p>
<p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>

If you would like to file a medical malpractice lawsuit to sue a healthcare professional for negligence, here are some pointers on how to get started.

How to File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When life takes an unexpected turn for the worse, it can be difficult for us to recognize and reclaim our strength. As a certified public health nurse with 10 years of experience, my professional passion is and has always been empowering the general public to advocate for themselves.&nbsp; Using a decade&rsquo;s worth of medical and public health knowledge, I decided that it was time to share what I know using the wonders of the internet.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Throughout the course of my nursing career, I specialised in home care, medical-surgical nursing, and nursing education. During my tenure as a homecare and a medical-surgical nurse, I worked closely with patients with acute medical conditions, and others who were able to go home, to provide medical care and&nbsp; teach them about their condition. In doing so,I learned the importance of self-empowerment, self-advocacy and knowledge.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After spending 8 years as a home care and medical surgical nurse, I decided it was time to pass what I had learned onto others. I moved into the nursing education space as an education manager, and now as an adjunct instructor, teaching both students wanting to move into nursing, and practicing nurses alike. My passion for teaching others only grew, and has prompted me to contribute to informing the general public about medical content that will benefit them, help them understand their own position, and teach them how to advocate for themselves.</span></p>

Seema Madhavan

Filing a Lawsuit

<p>A medical malpractice case occurs when a patient is injured or mistreated due to an action or inaction beyond the standard of care which they would have received by a different doctor (or other medical professional) in a similar circumstance.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The patient can file a lawsuit against the doctor in order to receive monetary compensation for the medical negligence.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This process can be confusing, so here are the first steps to take:</p>
<h2>Standard of Care: How to Prove Medical Negligence</h2>
<p>In order to have a medical malpractice case, the patient must have been injured due to the negligence of the medical professional. Negligence is defined by a deviation from the standard of care. The exact standard of care is defined differently in different states, but, essentially, it is the reasonable degree of care expected from a similarly qualified professional in a similar circumstance.</p>
<p>It is upon the plaintiff to prove that there has been a breach in the standard of care. Once you believe that there was negligence, you should act quickly.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Is There a Time Limit to File the Malpractice Claim?</h2>
<p>Yes. &ldquo;Statute of Limitations&rdquo; refers to the time limit you have to file your claim. If the time since the incident exceeded the Statute of Limitations, you can automatically lose your case.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Some states start the clock when the medical negligence is discovered, but others start it earlier - when the medical error occurred.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You can check the Statutes of Limitations for your specific state <a title="Statute of Limitation" href="https://justpoint.com/knowledge-base/medical-malpractice-statute-of-limitations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Therefore, you should act quickly and contact a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. If possible, you should obtain your medical records and present them to your medical malpractice attorney.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Settlement or Trial?</h2>
<p>Most medical malpractice lawsuits are settled before they go to trial. In a study conducted on more than 60,000 successful medical malpractice claims, &ldquo;Only 2.6% of claims ended in verdicts; the rest were settlements.&rdquo;</p>
<p>While the settlement amount can be greater in trial, the plaintiff can receive the settlement compensation earlier through a settlement and doesn&rsquo;t have to risk the possibility of losing in court.&nbsp;</p>

A medical malpractice case occurs when a patient is injured or mistreated due to an action or inaction beyond the standard of care which they would have received by a different doctor (or other medical professional) in a similar circumstance.

Medical Malpractice Claim: First Steps

<p>A medical malpractice case begins with an event in which a patient believes they were harmed due to a deviation from a standard of care. At this point, you can decide to file a lawsuit against the healthcare provider; however, in order for the complaint to be legally valid, it needs to be filed within a certain time frame called the <a href="https://justpoint.com/knowledge-base/medical-malpractice-statute-of-limitations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statute of limitations</a>.</p>
<p>A medical malpractice lawsuit can be a lengthy process, but the following stages are the most crucial: talking to an attorney, obtaining expert medical opinions and certifications, discovery, and settlement or trial (if the healthcare provider doesn&rsquo;t agree on the settlement the patient is asking for).&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Talk to Your Attorney</h2>
<p>Before a lawsuit is filed, the first thing you should do is discuss the situation with an attorney in order to truly understand all the legal perspectives of the case.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Consulting your attorney will allow them to analyze the facts of the case, and better understand how you were injured.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Often times, a patient isn&rsquo;t sure whether or not they have a valid case, which is why it is essential to talk to an attorney with experience in the medical malpractice field.</span></p>
<h2>Investigation</h2>
<p>To determine whether you have a valid medical malpractice claim, your attorney will investigate all the relevant medical records from doctors, hospitals, or any other healthcare organization.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Your lawyer will also ask for any medical bills related to the incident and for any records that display a certain type of medical history, which may be important to build your case.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In a medical malpractice lawsuit, there are typically two parties: the plaintiff and the defendant. Because these legal terms are heavily used throughout a lawsuit, it helps to know what they mean.</p>
<h2>What and Who is a Plaintiff?</h2>
<p>In a lawsuit, the plaintiff is the individual filing the lawsuit and bringing a claim against another individual or entity. Essentially, the plaintiff is the person suing another person. In medical malpractice cases, the plaintiff is the patient who has been harmed by their doctor, and is therefore bringing charges against the healthcare provider. The plaintiff seeks compensation for <a href="https://justpoint.com/knowledge-base/how-are-damages-determined" target="_blank" rel="noopener">damages</a> that occurred due to the doctor&rsquo;s negligence.</p>
<p>Within the plaintiff&rsquo;s complaint, they must claim that their health care provider deviated from standard medical practice , which resulted in an injury. (link to other articles done on what medmal is).</p>
<h2>What and Who is a Defendant?</h2>
<p>In a lawsuit, the defendant is the individual or organization against whom the lawsuit is filed. In other words, the defendant is the person who is being sued by another individual.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In medical malpractice cases, the defendant is the healthcare provider that has potentially caused harm to their patient through some sort of negligence.&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Although the patient (i.e. plaintiff) will allege that the doctor deviated from the standard of care that lead to a harmful injury, the doctor (i.e. defendant) typically argues that no violation of standard care occurred and all actions taken by the health care provider were lawful.</p>
<h2>Expert Medical Opinion</h2>
<p>If your attorney has found that you have a valid claim, the attorney will reach out to a medical expert to support your claim, typically a physician in the same field as your doctor.</p>
<p>Although the process differs by state, most states require a certificate of merit or an affidavit from a medical expert that confirms the credibility of your case.</p>
<p>A certificate of merit is essentially just a written letter from a medical expert stating their support of your case. After this certificate or affidavit is obtained, your attorney will go ahead and file a lawsuit in the form of a written complaint.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Discovery</h2>
<p>In a lawsuit, discovery is the stage where both parties request additional important information from each other.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>During discovery in a medical malpractice case, both your attorney and the defendant will request relevant files, such as medical records, documentation, and other types of evidence.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>At this stage, both parties must disclose to each other and the court all the documents they will use throughout the case.&nbsp;</p>
<p>During discovery, both parties are interviewed and asked questions under oath by adverse counsel, which means the other person&rsquo;s lawyer. This type of questioning under oath is called a deposition (link to other articles on depositions).</p>
<p>In other words, the defendant (i.e the doctor&rsquo;s attorney) will depose you (take your testimony) as well as other relevant witnesses related to your case. Likewise, your attorney will depose the doctor to gain more information about whether there was a deviation from the standard of care.</p>
<h2>Settlement</h2>
<p>Once all the relevant documents and depositions are obtained, both parties will begin to think about negotiating for a settlement. A settlement allows the case to be resolved outside of a courtroom without having to go to trial, where the outcome may be unknown.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Due to the high cost and lengthy process of going to trial, in some cases, a settlement is ideal for both parties because a jury&rsquo;s decision is always uncertain.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>When negotiating a settlement, the defendant&rsquo;s lawyer will try to reduce the amount of damages. However, if your attorney finds that the defendants have not offered an acceptable settlement, then your attorney will take your case to trial.</p>
<p>In other words, if the healthcare provider doesn&rsquo;t agree on the settlement the patient can also agree to, the case will move on to trial.</p>
<h2>Trial</h2>
<p>At trial, both parties present their arguments and introduce all relevant evidence in front of a judge and a jury. Medical experts hired from both parties and other relevant witnesses will testify and be cross-examined by the opposing parties.</p>
<p>After hearing arguments from both sides, the jury will decide whether or not the defendant (i.e., the doctor, medical facility, or other medical provider, etc.) deviated from the standard of care and if that deviation harmed the patient.</p>
<p>If the jury decides medical negligence did occur, the jury will also decide the amount of money the defendant has to pay in damages.</p>

A malpractice lawsuit can be a lengthy. The stages of a medical malpractice case are: talking to an attorney, obtaining expert medical opinions, discovery & settlement or trial.

Knowledge Base

Filing a Lawsuit posts

How to File a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

Medical Malpractice Claim: First Steps

Stages of a Medical Malpractice Case