What happens when a professional make a preventable mistake?
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Every day we rely on professionals. Doctors treat our illnesses. Insurance agents help us navigate the types of protection we need. Bankers and brokers help us with our finances. And lawyers help us sort through our legal needs. But just like everyone else, these professionals make preventable mistakes. When they do, the consequences can be financially catastrophic.
If you have been the victim of professional negligence including medical malpractice, insurance agent malpractice, accountant or broker malpractice or legal malpractice, there are a few things you should know about your potential case:
1) Malpractice cases rarely settle before a lawsuit is filed
Professional malpractice cases rarely settle before a lawsuit is filed. Because the mistakes made are often not clear cut, insurance carriers will “wait it out” to see if you have the courage and conviction about what happened to hire a lawyer and file a lawsuit.
2) You need a lawyer involved immediately
Malpractice cases typically require a detailed review of all relevant information by a qualified expert in the field at issue before an attorney will file a lawsuit for you. At the same time, these cases are governed by a statute of limitations that puts a limit on how long after malpractice occurs you have to file your case. Therefore, you have no time to waste in getting an attorney involved. If you have any intention or thoughts about wanting to talk to a lawyer about what you have gone through, you should contact someone immediately. Otherwise, you may end up in a situation where you have a good case, but there is not enough time for a lawyer to evaluate it before your time runs out.
3) Many lawyers do not handle malpractice cases
Malpractice cases require a great deal of attorney time to pursue. There may be thousands of pages of medical or financial records that have to be reviewed. Depending on the type of case, there may be special legal rules that limit or control your options as an injured party. You will need a lawyer who can find and retain solid experts to explain your case to the jury. Because of these limitations, many injury lawyers choose not to get involved in malpractice cases. At Sutherland & Belk, we know these fights are tough, but we are willing to take them on.