Choosing the Right Atlanta Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you believe you have been injured as a result of medical malpractice, you should absolutely hire an attorney to help you recover proper compensation. However, medical malpractice is complicated, merging medical and legal issues. While there is no need to find an attorney who also has a medical degree, you should certainly find an attorney who is well-versed in medical malpractice cases. That attorney should have the experience to deal with the legal, technical, and procedural issues that blend together in a mix of challenges found in few other areas of law. You don't want to hire a novice.

The attorneys of Slappey & Sadd have the medical malpractice experience you're looking for. Contact the attorneys at Slappey & Sadd for a free consultation to discuss your case by calling (404) 255-6677. Our attorneys serve the entire state of Georgia, including Smyrna, Decatur, and Marietta. You also can reach us through our online contact form.

Medical malpractice results in thousands of injuries each year. Determining damages for injuries can be complicated - issues such as the need for specialized or long-term care are involved, not to mention the first hurdle - showing that the medical care provided was negligent or failed to meet medical standards. If you have suffered an injury as a result of medical malpractice, you want to find the best medical malpractice attorney you can. You want to find someone who knows what they are doing and will give you the greatest chance at recovering compensation for your injuries. So where and how do you look?

For many people, the recommendations of family and friends are the first source. Often, that expands to the friends of family and friends, people who have had a personal experience with a medical malpractice attorney where your family and friends might not have. Of course, the internet can provide a wealth of information to help you develop a list of candidates.

Once you have narrowed that list to a handful of lawyers or firms that you would like to represent you, you should contact the lawyers or firms. Most of them likely will offer a free consultation. If they do, you should be ready with questions to help you determine if they are the right lawyers for you.

The first thing you should be looking for is someone who knows what he or she is doing. To that end, there are certain questions you should ask:

• How long have you been practicing medical malpractice law?
• Do you frequently handle cases involving cases like mine?
• What kind medical malpractice injuries do you have experience handling?
• What percentage of your or your firm's cases are medical malpractice? Ho many such cases do you handle each year? How many do you settle? How many go to trial? How many of those that go to trial result in damages awards for your client?

If you are satisfied that the attorney has the experience to handle your case, you should ask about how the attorney might handle your case. Because you will spend a lot of time working with your attorney to pursue your case, you should know what your attorney's style is when it comes to working with clients. Does the lawyer just tell you what to do, or does the attorney lay out your options, give advice, and let you decide? Both are valid approaches - you hired your attorney for malpractice expertise, after all - but clients often prefer to have input into decisions. Whichever approach you prefer, there are things you should know, including:

• Who will be managing your case, the attorney you are hiring or attorney in the firm?
• Who will be making court appearances? Who will conduct any settlement negotiations?
• Who will be your regular point of contact? Who should you reach as a secondary point of contact?
• Does the attorney give progress reports? What information will those reports include?
• How do you reach your attorney? How quickly will he respond?

For someone facing medical bills, time away from work, and other financial consequences of medical malpractice injuries - setting aside quality-of-life issues and medical problems for a moment - it is important to determine what your legal representation will cost. The basis of how you will be charged, whether your case will cost you money in advance, and how much, are important issues. Potential questions include:

• Will you be charged a contingency fee or an hourly rate? A contingency fee is a percentage of whatever damages you recover. What would that percentage be? What will you owe if the attorney fails to recover any damages for you?
• If you are charged an hourly rate, how much is that rate? What will you owe if there is no recovery?
• Will you have to pay an up-front retainer fee?
• What will you have to pay, if anything, if your lawyer fails to recovery any damages, whether through settlement or a win at trial?

While discussing costs, you also should discuss what your likelihood of recovery is, and what monetary range that recovery is likely to fall into. Also important, given that you have suffered damages, is what kind of timeline seems likely before any possible recovery.

Once you have found an attorney who has given you a comfort level regarding all these and other factors, including whether you feel like you can work together, then it's time to choose an attorney and proceed with your case.

If you have been injured due to medical malpractice, you should talk to an attorney to explore your options for recovering damages. You should be sure to talk to attorneys with experience in medical malpractice cases. That means you should contact the attorneys at Slappey & Sadd for a free consultation to discuss your case by calling (404) 255-6677. Our attorneys serve the entire state of Georgia, including Smyrna, Decatur, and Marietta. You also can reach us through our online contact form.