No doctor wants to deal with a malpractice lawsuit, of course, but it is an unfortunate fact of life for many medical professionals. Many physicians have no idea about what to do once they are served with a suit – and even less of an idea of how to prepare – because they are focused on providing not only the best care possible to their patients while trying tomanage their practice at the same time. Here are some things to consider so that you will have a plan in place should this ever happen to you.
Get a Lawyer
If you have a lawyer, give him or her a call to see what you would need to do should you ever be the subject of a malpractice lawsuit. If you do not have an attorney, ask colleagues and friends who they would recommend. Make sure that attorney is on your insurance company panel. The reason you want to have representation in place is that if a lawsuit is filed, the opposition lawyer will ask you a great many questions during a deposition. These will be tough, probing questions – you will definitely want someone by your side who can help ensure you answer them in a way that will not damage your case.
Do Not Try This Yourself
One of the biggest mistakes a lot of doctors facing a malpractice lawsuit make is trying to do research on their own before they speak with a lawyer. In far too many instances, physicians end up causing more harm by taking actions on their own to remedy the situation. The best course of action is to not do anything until you speak with your lawyer and your insurance provider first. If you have a plan beforehand, you will be much better prepared should you ever have to deal with a malpractice lawsuit. At Candor Healthcare, we do not provide legal advice but we can help with many other areas of medical practice management. Contact us online or call us at 817-421-5500.