Medical negligence solicitors are attorneys based in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and other parts of the former British Empire who handle law suits on behalf of the victims of medical malpractice. People who have suffered injuries as a result of medical treatment or whose conditions were wrongly diagnosed can sue medical professionals for damages. Medical negligence solicitors help plaintiffs prepare their case and receive a share of any settlement. Attorneys who handle similar cases in other parts of the world are commonly known as medical malpractice lawyers.
Practicing attorneys often join established law firms that specialize in medical malpractice cases. Some major firms handle class action lawsuits involving hundreds of plaintiffs who allegedly suffered harm as a result of medical treatment or medical negligence. Many medical negligence solicitors start their own private law firms after establishing themselves in the field of healthcare related law. Medical negligence solicitors are most prevalent in areas with laws that provide minimal protection to medical professionals.
Most medical negligence solicitors often represent individual victims of medical malpractice. Laws in many countries enable people to receive compensation for injuries caused by physicians, surgeons, dentists, and most other types of medical professionals. Plaintiffs can also sue for damages in the case of a misdiagnosis if the solicitor can prove that the medical professional involved had all the evidence necessary to make the correct diagnosis. In cases involving the death of a patient, surviving family members can also file lawsuits against negligent medical professionals.
Large medical negligence solicitor firms often advertise for clients by paying for television or radio commercials that highlight the side effects of certain drugs. Some negligence lawsuits are brought against drug companies in order to establish that a particular drug had adverse side effects, and these cases require the involvement of other medical professionals who can help to prove the plaintiff’s case. In order to bring a case against a medical provider, large firms seek out as many victims as possible so that the judge presiding over the case can see the effects that the alleged malpractice caused. Settlements in class action lawsuits are usually much larger than settlements for individual cases, and solicitors involved are well compensated because their fees amount to a fixed percentage of the settlement.
Many medical negligence lawsuits result in out of court settlements, as medical professionals are often wary to commit to the significant costs of defending a malpractice case in court. Physicians in many countries can buy liability insurance, which covers them in the event of a malpractice lawsuit. People who are involved in multiple lawsuits often become ineligible for liability insurance and have to settle claims with their own assets.