Newport News Medical Malpractice Attorney

Have you or has someone you know been the victim of medical malpractice? If so, it is important to retain legal representation immediately. Your medical professional may try to save themselves by giving you a settlement much smaller than what you actually deserve. Medical mistakes can be life changing and extremely costly, so you need to make sure you are protected for expenses now and in the future. A skilled medical malpractice attorney in Newport News, VA from Waterman Law Centers, PLLC will be happy to talk to you about your unique case and figure out the best way to move forward.

What Is Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice can occur with doctors, nurses, pharmacists, chiropractors, or anyone else who deals with your healthcare. Some examples of medical mistakes that can fall under “malpractice” include:

  • Incorrect prescription or the wrong amount of medication
  • Items such as surgical tools left inside someone after surgery
  • Harmful treatments at physical therapy or a chiropractor’s office
  • Birth injuries
    Cases of misdiagnosis of an illness
  • Errors made during surgery
  • Failure to diagnose something another reasonable doctor would
  • + More

The list can go on, and if you have a feeling you may have a case, you need to speak with a personal injury attorney who specializes in medical malpractice cases. Your lawyer will be able to see what category of law your case falls under and if your case is worth pursuing.

Be Mindful of the Statute of Limitations

As with many types of personal injury law, there are statutes of limitations in place for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. These vary from state to state, which is why it is important to hire a lawyer as soon as you realize you have been a victim of medical malpractice. Your attorney will make sure all of your deadlines are met and that you are eligible to file for compensation. Your lawyer will also know what strategies to use in court and what kind of expert witnesses may be useful to hire as proof you did not receive a reasonable amount of care from your medical professional. These can make or break your case and gain the compensation you deserve for any trauma or pain you have been put through because of someone else’s negligence.

What Kind of Compensation Should You File For?

There are many different things you can file for in a medical malpractice case. There is the obvious, which is reimbursement for any health issues you have had to pay for due to the malpractice, but an experienced medical malpractice attorney in Newport News, VA from Waterman Law Centers, PLLC will know what else you may be eligible to receive. For example, we know that you will likely face other medical issues down the road because of this, so you need to be compensated for future bills as well. You also may have temporary or permanent inability to do your job. If this is the case, you need to be compensated for lost wages due to missed work. If you can never perform your normal job again, you need compensation. Finally, pain and suffering may be on the table as medical malpractice can be one of the more traumatic forms of personal injury law since you expect reasonable care from your medical professional.

Why Should You Hire a Newport News Medical Malpractice Lawyer?

It is important to hire a medical malpractice lawyer if you find yourself the victim of malpractice for a few reasons. First, an experienced lawyer from Waterman Law Centers, PLLC will increase your chances of getting what you want dramatically. We handle cases like this all the time and know all of the Virginia laws surrounding malpractice. This means that we can come up with a solid case for you to use in court. We will also ensure you meet all of the deadlines for filing and speak to others on your behalf so you can focus on recovering from your injuries. It is also important to hire a lawyer to hold the doctor who harmed you accountable. Mistakes do happen, but medical malpractice lawsuits are typically formed because the doctor was particularly negligent in the care they gave their patient. It is scary to think a doctor like that may not be held accountable for their actions because there is not as big of a reason for them to be more careful in the future. It is your duty to others to make sure the doctor who injured you is held to the highest standard of care moving forward. The lawsuit will likely also have the medical board look into the doctor’s license and then determine whether they are able to keep practicing after what happened.

Lawyers have a reputation of being incredibly expensive, but for many personal injury law cases, you do not need to pay anything upfront. If we win your case you will give us an agreed upon percentage of the winnings, but if we do not win you do not owe us anything for our time or effort. Thus, there is no harm speaking to a good malpractice lawyer to see if you have a case.

Commonly Misunderstood Facts About Medical Malpractice

If you’ve been a victim of medical malpractice, it can leave you reeling. A medical professional or team that you have trusted to protect your health and wellness have caused harm instead. What should you do in this type of situation? Is it truly worth your time? Could you be entitled to life-changing sums of money for your suffering? Waterman Law Centers, PLLC wants to help clarify some common misconceptions about medical malpractice so you can make an informed decision about which steps to take next.

Myth: If You Win a Medical Malpractice Suit, You’ll Get Millions of Dollars

It is true that in some very extreme cases, hospitals and medical groups have doled out millions of dollars to cover damages that resulted from serious medical malpractice. However, this only happens in a very small number of rare situations. In general, the majority of these lawsuits result in the victim receiving compensation that covers the expenses incurred for necessary care and treatment as a result of a medical professional’s negligence or malpractice. Some additional funds may be awarded for emotional damage or loss of quality of life. It is important to talk with a medical malpractice lawyer in Newport News, VA so that you can get a realistic idea of what to expect with your case.

Myth: It’s Not Worth Pursuing A Lawsuit Over a Minor Injury

If a small slip-up from your doctor or medical care team resulted in a temporary or minor injury, it may not seem worth your time. However, if that minor injury resulted in lost wages, hospital or urgent care visits, or other financial consequences, you could be entitled to reimbursement. In addition, it is important to document these situations because new complications could continue to develop down the road. Waterman Law Centers, PLLC can help you determine whether or not your situation warrants a lawsuit.

Myth: Accidents Happen and Are a Normal Risk of Seeking Medical Care

While it is true that everyone makes mistakes, a minor mishap is very different from a decision that leads to dangerous or even catastrophic results. What falls under the category of medical malpractice is not normal and should not be tolerated as part of routine medical care. Just as it’s important for you to get the compensation you need to deal with your injuries, it’s also critical that medical professionals are held accountable for their actions. In some situations, working with a medical malpractice lawyer in Newport News, VA can help prevent this type of event from happening to another patient in their care.

What Not to Do In a Medical Malpractice Case

Tamper With Medical Documents

When dealing with a medical malpractice case, do not ever write on any medical records. Defacing these essential documents in any way can severely harm your case, and you may find yourself in serious trouble afterward. Furthermore, don’t ever throw away any medical documents — your medical malpractice lawyer in Newport News, VA, may need them to support your case, so keep everything on file and readily available.

Contact The Providers Without Your Lawyer

It is very important that you do not communicate with the medical providers unless your lawyer is present. Don’t call, email or visit the facility to lodge complaints or argue with the staff about the malpractice in questions; doing this can cause unnecessary and even harmful sharing of information, which can be used against you in court. Trust Waterman Law Centers, PLLC to offer you guidance whenever you’re contacting the provider team.

Share Details Online

Remember, you don’t want to share any unnecessary information about your case with anyone. When information spreads between parties, you may find that it comes back to harm your case later in court. Do not share any details about your malpractice case on social media, and stay offline if you need to. Your medical malpractice lawyer in Newport News, VA, should be present whenever information about your case is being shared, so your best bet is to keep these details strictly between yourself and your legal team unless otherwise prompted by your lawyer.

Procrastinate on Getting a Lawyer

Time is of the essence when handling a medical malpractice case, so do not wait to get in touch with a medical malpractice lawyer in Newport News, VA. The sooner you can start working with a trusted legal team like Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, the more effectively you can work out the details of your case and ultimately come to a solution that benefits you. If you wait too long to take action, your case may not hold up as well in court and you could miss out on the compensation you deserve.

Skip Doctor’s Appointments

Be sure to attend all of your appointments with a trusted medical staff when recovering from malpractice. Not only will this help you recover more quickly and efficiently, it also goes a long way in showing that you’re taking initiative in the recovery process. If you’re unable to make it to a medical appointment, be sure to reschedule as soon as possible.

Contact a Medical Malpractice Lawyer at Waterman Law Centers Today

Give our office a call to set up a free consultation to see if you might have a medical malpractice case worth pursuing. We will look at every angle of your incident to determine if your case would hold up in court and be worth spending time on. At the end of the day, if you want to settle outside court or take your case to a judge will be up to you. We will give you all of the benefits and difficulties of medical malpractice cases and be with you every step of the way. Call or reach out online to learn more.