Have you Suffered from a Bile Duct Injury that wasn’t Naturally Occurring? You Should Consider a Bile Duct Injury Medical Malpractice Claim
Bile duct injuries can cause severe medical complications and this is an area of the body that only ever receives damage through surgery. This article explains the nature of bile duct injuries and how you can prepare yourself to get the compensation you deserve.
What are Bile Duct Injuries?
Your bile duct is located near your gallbladder. Most bile duct injuries occur during surgery to intervene with problems to that organ. Some types of surgery that might cause a bile duct injury include laparoscopic cholecystectomy, or open gallbladder surgery. Once the bile duct suffers an injury, it can take time to diagnose. If doctors sever it during surgery, you can expect life-threatening symptoms which could leave you with jaundice, cholangitis, or even pancreatitis.
Since bile duct injuries are so serious, it’s important that you seek a medical malpractice lawsuit if it happens to you. This is how we hold surgeons and doctors accountable to stop these things happening to other people.
How to Prepare for a Bile Duct Injury Claim?
If you want to pursue a claim to file for medical malpractice and get compensation for your bile duct injury, there are things you can do.
First, reach out to an attorney or lawyer specializing in bile duct injuries or in hospital malpractice. They can advise you of how to proceed before you even talk to your doctors. Find a good lawyer based on experience and knowledge.
The second step to preparing for a bile duct injury claim is to make sure you keep a record of events. Start a journal about your illness and your recovery. Take a detailed note of all your treatments and make sure you attend every appointment. This part is especially important. Making a full recovery is the priority here, you can claim back your medical costs in expenses, later.
Document your recovery as best you can. Keep your receipts, your documentation, your prescriptions slips, and notes on what your doctors give to you. All of this will go to your attorney, who will build a detailed case on your behalf.
Once your attorney has all the information, you should focus on making a full and complete recovery. Let the lawyers do their job and give permissions where they require them. It could take weeks, months, or years, to process your claim. Around 85,000 medical malpractice cases are filed each year.
During this stage, your attorney will gather all your evidence and send it to a judge. The insurance company or opposition will do the same. The judge will review the case and decide over fault. Once the judge has decided, your attorney will go into negotiations with the opposing party to tray and agree to a settlement figure. You can have as little or as much involvement in this process as you like. At the end of the day, it will always be your decision on whether you settle or not.
If you choose not to settle, your case may go to court. Until then, concentrate on your recovery and try not to stress. A good lawyer will take care of it all on your behalf.