Whenever people go into the hospital for surgery, there is always the chance that things may go wrong. The surgeons are professional, but they are also human. That means they are subject to human error. In the course of surgery, things sometimes get left inside of patients. Sometimes other things happen, such as accidentally puncturing a lung, or causing damage to the brain. When these things happen, the patient or his or her representative may file a personal injury lawsuit or a medical malpractice suit. A Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer in Bowie MD represents clients with issues of medical malpractice. Here are some things to do if such a case arises.
The statute of limitations in Maryland on medical malpractice cases such as spinal cord injuries is five years from the date that the injury occurred. If the patient is not aware of an injury, but finds out later, the statute of limitations gives him or her three years from the discovery of the injury. Within a 90 day period after filing the medical malpractice complaint, the patient must file what is called a certificate of merit from a qualified medical expert.
The parties involved in the medical malpractice suit have the option to go to arbitration first, but both parties must agree. If not, the suit goes on to court as planned. If arbitration is opted for, issues will be itemized for the damages. The arbitration award does not have to be accepted by either party, but if it goes to court, the judge or jury will consider the award made through arbitration seriously, and the outcome might not be what the rejecting party wanted.
The Valente Law Group has been meeting the legal needs of clients in the Bowie, Maryland area for more than three decades. In addition to helping clients with medical malpractice cases, the law group also represents clients in other areas of personal injury. These include automobile accidents and wrongful death. Criminal law is another aspect of law the law group handles. If any potential clients are in need of a Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer in Bowie MD, they can visit the website at http://johnvalenteattorney.com.
