You’ve been injured by a dentist and need a lawyer. Choosing which lawyer to represent you in a dental malpractice case is no small task, especially since the lawyer will be representing you through all phases of litigation. If the case does not settle pre-suit, the lawyer will be filing a dental malpractice complain on your behalf, usually in state court. So, choosing the right lawyer for you is critical in the proper resolution of your case. Asking co-workers, family members, or other professionals with whom you have a relationship for a referral to a lawyer can sometimes be helpful. However, Georgia Dental Malpractice litigation is such a specialized area that these resources may not be entirely helpful. However, asking the right questions and doing the proper research will put you in an excellent position to find the right dental malpractice lawyer for you. Here are some considerations to take into account and to ask any lawyer you are contemplating hiring to represent you in a Georgia dental malpractice case:
- How long have you been practicing? In many professions, there simply is no substitute for experience and the law is no exception. This is especially true in dental malpractice litigation. You want a lawyer that has substantial experience practicing law, and (more importantly) regularly handles dental malpractice cases in Georgia. So, it would behoove you to ask any prospective dental malpractice attorney how long they have been practicing law and what percentage of their practice is devoted to dental malpractice.
- Do you have trial experience? While most dental malpractice cases do not go to trial, sometimes the only way to get the proper compensation in a dental malpractice case is to try it in a Georgia court before a jury of your peers. You want a lawyer who is ready, willing and able to go to bat for you in the courtroom. You owe it to yourself to hire a lawyer that you feel is comfortable in the courtroom and who will not shy away from taking your dental case to trial.
- Do you have a game plan or strategy for my case? An experienced dental malpractice lawyer should be able to very succinctly explain the steps they plan to take on your case. Why? Because they have considerable experience litigating dental cases and have developed a system for pursuing these types of cases for their clients. Each case is different and ultimately turns on the facts as applied to the law. But, there are certain steps along the way that almost all cases must go through in discovery, litigation, mediation, trial, arbitration and so forth. Find out from your attorney what they plan on doing. It is important to know.
Robert J. Fleming is a partner in the law firm of Katz & Fleming, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia and Decatur, Georgia. He is a personal injury attorney who has been handling wrongful death, medical malpractice and dental malpractice cases for individuals and families who have been severely injured or died as a result of negligence since 1995. He practices in the metropolitan Atlanta area including the city of Decatur, Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, and Cobb counties in Georgia. He has successfully handled many high-value dental malpractice cases. We invite you to view our “Results” page to see the types of dental malpractice cases we have handled in the past. While past performance is not a guarantee of future success, we stand ready to help your or your loved one navigate this tough time. If you or a family member has been seriously injured by a dentist and would like to discuss your case in complete confidence to see if there may be a claim for dental malpractice, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online. We are here to help.