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If you think you’ve been a victim of medical malpractice and you find yourself asking, “do I need a personal injury lawyer?” the answer is probably yes. But first, let’s go over the basics of medical malpractice to understand why a lawyer is so important.
What is Medical Malpractice?
A case is considered medical malpractice when medical treatment falls below an acceptable standard due to negligence, and that negligence causes harm to the patient. A medical professional who makes a mistake but doesn’t harm the patient has not committed medical malpractice.
Examples of medical malpractice can include discharging a patient too early to complete care, making an error when administering anesthesia, administering medication that a patient is allergic to, and so on.
Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer to Gather Evidence?
No, but it helps. To prove a medical malpractice case, you’ll usually need testimony from an expert witness to prove that the care you received was sub-standard, and that a similarly-skilled health care professional would have provided more reasonable care.
Finding a witness to testify can be difficult since they need to be trained and experienced in the same field as the person who treated you. That witness will have to establish the standard of care, explain what went wrong with your treatment, and explain how you came to harm as a result.
You may also have to get an Affidavit of Merit to back up your expert witness, depending on your state.
Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer Who Specializes in Medical Malpractice?
The best personal injury attorneys to handle your case will always be the ones who specialize in medical malpractice, or who have successfully handled similar cases in the past. Medical malpractice lawyers will know how to find a witness, when you need an affidavit and whether or not you have a chance of winning your case.
Contact a medical malpractice lawyer today if you’ve been injured by a medical professional.
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