When people are sick, they seek medical attention from professional doctors and hospitals. They are helping to recover from injuries and illness with the help of these professionals. In spite of this, situations arise when a healthcare provider, either through acts of commission or omission, causes harm to the patient.
If such a scenario plays out, the patient has the right to seek legal redress by filing a lawsuit or hire a lawyer. The patient can file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the healthcare provider or the hospital. It is important for the victim to have sufficient information about malpractice lawyers and how much they cost.
Types of medical malpractices
Medical malpractice is also known as medical negligence and takes different forms. The cases take different forms depending on the situation in question. Medical malpractice cases in which one can be represented by a malpractice lawyer include:
● Surgical error
● Delayed or incorrect diagnosis
● Birth injuries
● Nursing home mistreatment
● Inappropriate surgical procedure
● Medication errors
● Anesthesia errors
● Performing unapproved procedure
All the cases listed are just but some of the harmful actions a victim may consider when consulting a professional medical practice lawyer. It is true to say that a medical practitioner occasions medical malpractice when he deviates from the care of patients due to negligence.
Compensations for medical negligence cases
As a victim of medical negligence, you are allowed b law to take legal action against your perceived oppressor. However, there are two types of compensation that are tagged with monetary value. There is the monetary type of compensation and the non-monetary one. These types of compensations can only be achieved with the help of a medical malpractice lawyer who acts on your behalf. On the other hand, there is also the non-monetary dimension to the case.
Monetary or economic damages are the type of losses that are related to a particular amount of money which include medical expenses incurred, loss of wages, the cost of rehabilitation, among others.
On the other hand, there is the non-monetary type of compensation that also known as non-economic damages. These are damages that include aspects such as physical and mental pain, loss of consortium, or disfigurement.
The average cost of a medical malpractice lawyer
Most medical malpractice lawyers bill their costs n an hourly basis. The estimated average cost may run in the regions of between $100 to $400 per hour in any medical malpractice law firm. However, most cases are accepted on a contingency basis. This is where you pay the law firm a percentage of about 35% of your settlement amount upon resolution of the case.
In this arrangement, the victim pays nothing if the law firm does not secure any compensation. Apart from the cost of hiring a lawyer, the victim also has additional fees to pay which include court hiring fees, expert witness fees, court reporter fees, travel expenses, and any other type of fees necessary.
The cost of the deposition can go up to tens of thousands of dollars which can be recovered by the malpractice lawyers as part of the contingency fees. This makes it possible for justice to prevail between the lawyer and the victim since the victim will feel victimized if he loses the case and is compelled to pay all the fees. On the other hand, it protects the lawyer because if he wins the case, he is sure of getting paid for his services.
Contact an Experienced Attorney
It is essential for any patient to know his right while undergoing treatment. This is crucial because in case a specific situation occurs that is injurious to his person he should be able to understand how to engage a medical malpractice lawyer who will be able to negotiate compensation on his behalf.
He should also be in a position to know the amount of money that the medical malpractice lawyer will charge him for the whole process to be resolved. This will enable him to get compensation or legal redress due to the loss he incurred as a result of negligence on the part of a healthcare provider.