Connecticut residents who have read previous posts here know that medical malpractice is a serious – and potentially deadly – problem in America. We all respect the fact that doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals oftentimes spend years in school before they are able to treat patients, but the fact of the matter is that even the best trained and most well-educated doctors and nurses can make mistakes. When this happens, what are the first steps with a medical malpractice claim?
Well, for starters, it is important to make a determination about whether or not your potential claim is valid. Medical malpractice claims are notoriously difficult to pursue in court, so taking the time to have a legal professional review the circumstances of your case and determine if there is a path forward is a crucial first step.
After that, there are many different steps that need to occur in quick succession. The malpractice issue will need to be reported to the appropriate medical licensing board so that they can conduct an investigation. As part of these first steps, it will also be important to gather the relevant evidence that could be used to prove the claim, such as photographs, medical records and detailed narratives about how the medical malpractice affected the life of the victim.
From there, the case will likely be ready to file in court. Once litigation has begun, a whole next level of the case begins. There may be settlement talks, or there could be a complete lack of negotiation that leads to a trial.
