Choosing a Malpractice Lawyer - Tips That Can Help

If you've been wronged by a doctor or health professional, you may need a malpractice lawyer to help you get the compensation you deserve. Keep in mind that when pursuing litigation, you'll be facing giant insurance companies and their attorneys, not a private doctor. They are trained and experienced in deflecting claims such as yours and the battle will not be easily won, regardless of the facts. To prove victorious, you'll need all the help you can get. This means hiring an attorney who can fight fire with fire. Here are some tips on doing so.

Bar Association

If you're not sure where to get started, a call to the local bar association may be a good first step. While they aren't going to recommend one attorney over another, they will be able to furnish you with some names of attorneys in your area who practice this kind of law. From there, you'll be able to narrow down the list until you find the malpractice lawyer right for your case.

Referrals

An even better way to go about your search (if you have the available means) is to get personal recommendations from people you know. Unfortunately, most people don't have a wide circle of friends with direct experience with a malpractice lawyer. Even so, it doesn't hurt to ask unless you are trying to keep your litigation a secret.

Arrange Meetings

It's a good idea to set up more than one initial consultation with the firms in your list. If you meet with only one malpractice lawyer, you'll have no one to compare him with. It's easy to make a good impression when your potential client has no expectations. Make a few meetings and use these opportunities to compare and contrast. Make notes about what you liked from each attorney and what you didn't. You may not be able to find that dream attorney who meets every one of your ideals, but you can get as close as possible.

Experience

Experience is paramount when deciding whom to choose. A malpractice lawyer should not only have a proud educational background, but he should also be able to point to years of experience both in and out of the courtroom, handing cases just like yours. The attorneys on the other side of the courtroom will almost certainly be seasoned professionals, as insurance companies aren't going to have hacks representing their interests. You need to make sure you have someone on your side who can match their expertise.