When a doctor or other medical professional makes critical errors, you can sue them for compensation by bringing a medical malpractice case. These cases are very complicated, and you probably will need a medical expert for several reasons. One advantage of working with an established law firm is that they have access to credible witnesses who can help you prove your case.
An Expert Can Establish the Proper Standard of Care
Medical malpractice is a type of negligence. Under the law, negligence is the failure to exercise sufficient care under the circumstances.
But how does a lay person know whether a doctor has been sufficiently skilled and careful? Few jurors will have this knowledge on their own, so an expert witness plays a critical role. Most experts are former or current practicing doctors and other medical professionals who can testify about what your doctor should have done when treating you.
Without an expert, you will not be able to establish that the doctor who treated you was negligent to warrant a lawsuit.
An Expert can Prove Causation
It isn’t enough for a doctor to be careless. To win a medical malpractice lawsuit, you also need to establish that the doctor’s negligence was the actual cause of your injuries.
For example, imagine that your doctor failed to diagnose a tumor, which is now pressing on a nerve. A medical expert can testify that the tumor is causing your pain, which is also knowledge that a jury would not have on its own. Without an expert, the defendant could argue a different injury is the cause of your pain, not the malpractice. If you can’t prove causation, you can’t win your malpractice case.
A Medical Expert Can Help Establish Future Medical Expenses
In a successful medical malpractice lawsuit, you can receive compensation to cover your past medical expenses. But some injuries will require ongoing treatment, which you can also receive compensation for. An expert witness can help you calculate the cost of this future necessary care so that you request a sufficient amount.
Contact a Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Miami
The Miami law firm Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum Bluestein is a leader in this area of law. We have worked with many medical experts to build airtight cases for compensation on behalf of our clients.
To learn more, please contact us by calling 305-371-2692. We offer a free initial consultation where you can ask us any question you want about your case.