Medical professionals are a vital part of society and a major reason why we can enjoy long and healthy lives. However, they can sometimes make mistakes, whether on purpose or by accident, and this can cause significant damage. If you’ve been hurt by a doctor, nurse, or another medical professional in Kansas City, you could claim compensation for the losses incurred. To make sure you get the best results, you should consult a medical malpractice lawyer.
But how can you pick a competent personal injury attorney, and what should you look out for? Aside from great qualifications and a good track record, there are several other aspects to consider. For example, you need to make sure that communication will be smooth, the lawyer will be sympathetic, and the price will be fair. In this article, let’s go over what you need to keep in mind before making a decision about which attorney to hire.
7 Things to Look for in a Medical Malpractice Lawyer
1. Great Qualifications
You won’t want to hire someone who’s not adequately qualified to represent you. The best lawyers have gone through rigorous training at a respected institution such as the University of Missouri. Since their initial admission to the bar, they will have completed many continued education sessions in order to keep their knowledge up to date.
When you’re searching for a lawyer online, look at their biography to find out where they studied and how they have developed professionally since then. You might find that certain lawyers are respected experts in their area and have even held their own seminars. There are also some awards like Super Lawyer or Best of the Bar that can indicate that others in the field of malpractice law respect the attorney you’re considering.
2. A Stellar Track Record
Aside from their qualifications and ongoing training, your lawyer should also have a good track record. You should be able to find out more about past cases and what the final outcome was on the website, so have a look at the “Results” page. This can show you whether the lawyer is usually successful and what level of compensation they are able to win for their clients. Additionally, you’ll also see if they have taken on cases similar to yours before.
Before you make your decision, you should consider whether past clients were satisfied with their experience. People who have worked with the lawyer in question have the experience you lack, so they can tell you more about what the lawyer is like. Carefully read through all of the testimonials on your chosen law firm’s site, and see if you can find any independent reviews on other websites.
3. Local Kansas City Experience
When deciding who to go with, look at the geographical location of their work. Although some of the laws related to medical malpractice are federal, there are regional and state-wide differences. For this reason, it will pay to choose a lawyer who has worked in Missouri for some time and has therefore become very familiar with the local situation and built up a list of useful contacts.
An experienced attorney will be familiar with the best medical experts and other professionals, so you can get the help you need. For example,
Michael Yonke at Yonke Law was admitted to the bar in Missouri in 1994, so he has seen several decades’ worth of local changes in the law. With that kind of background and the fact that he is a member of several statewide and national professional associations, he is one of the best people to turn to for advice.
4. Good Communication Skills
Your chosen law firm will handle a very important and personal matter for you, which is why great communication is key. The best lawyers will be able to communicate with you in an effective and timely manner. When you ask a question or have a concern about your case, they should get back to you within a few business days. Likewise, they have to inform you of any new developments as soon as possible.
Fortunately, it’s easy to determine whether a given company will be easy to get in touch with. Scan the website for contact details. Are they easily accessible? And when you contact the firm, do they get back to you immediately? If a lawyer offers a free initial consultation, you will be able to evaluate the suitability and the communication patterns before you’ve spent any money.
5. A Caring and Compassionate Attitude
Because of the sensitive nature of a medical malpractice case, your lawyer needs to be caring and compassionate. When you first come to speak to the attorney, you may still be suffering as a result of your injuries, and you may be struggling with difficult emotions such as anxiety, depression, and a sense of betrayal. Thus, your lawyer needs to display compassion, friendliness, and care when dealing with you.
Again, this can be determined during your initial dealings with a given firm. Not only should your lawyer take an honest interest in your case during your consultation, but you should also feel that the other staff members have a positive attitude towards you. A reputable firm will make sure that everyone treats the clients well, so you feel safe whenever you step into the firm.
6. A Fair Billing System
Hiring a medical malpractice lawyer to fight for your rights in Kansas City can be a wonderful step back towards a normal life. The compensation you receive will help you to pay any medical bills and expenses incurred due to your injury or a loss of work. But you don’t want to give away an unnecessary amount of your money to your lawyer.
For this reason, you need to find a law firm with a fair billing system. Many great firms offer a free initial consultation, so you can get to know them and see whether they are a good fit without having to pay. When you arrive for your meeting, speak to your attorney about the billing system, so you can decide whether it is a good model for your needs.
7. Involvement in the Local Community
A final point you can consider is the level of community involvement a potential lawyer displays. If the firm is involved in multiple projects that benefit others around them, they are likely an ethical firm genuinely interested in representing locals to the best of their ability. For example, Michael Yonke donates both time and resources to several organizations that support veterans and students in the surrounding schools.
Finding a great medical malpractice lawyer doesn’t have to be hard if you know what to look for. You’ll need to find someone with good qualifications, a lot of local experience, good communication and empathy skills, a fair billing system, and some involvement in the local community. All of these aspects can help to make sure that your chosen professional will represent you well and you have the best chance to receive a fair settlement.
To get started, call or email Yonke Law in Kansas City, MO. We will be happy to welcome you to your free initial assessment, during which we figure out how we can best help youfor your medical malpractice or birth injury case.
