Baltimore Medical Malpractice Attorney

Fortunately, you can get help from the Kopec Law Firm right now. We know that everyone is different. Some clients want to talk to the lawyer immediately. If that is you, do not delay another moment. Contact us by calling 800-604-0704 right now to get help.

Information for You and Your Case

However, other clients want to gather some information before calling. That is where the Kopec Law Firm website comes in.

Other law firms provide websites that offer meaningless slogans, make vague promises, and provide information that is not presented in a useful manner. There is very little that is specifically helpful to you, your situation, and your potential case.

The Kopec Law Firm has meticulously designed this website to provide all the information and resources you need from the moment you become the victim of medical malpractice until the successful conclusion of your case. We understand that navigating the legal process can be overwhelming, and that’s why we’ve made it our mission to provide you with all the tools and knowledge you need. You will not find this level of support and guidance anywhere else.

Let’s start by reviewing information you may want to review before your free consultation.

Our Resources Provided for You

Medical Malpractice General Information and Specific Types

What is medical malpractice, and does my situation qualify? You can watch a video entitled, Is it Medical Malpractice? Also, our medical malpractice webpage discusses the elements of a medical malpractice case: Physician-patient relationship, breach of the standard of care, damage, and causation. There is an in-depth discussion of how the standard of care is determined.

Next, you should learn more about the major categories of medical malpractice. They are birth injury, emergency room, misdiagnosis, surgical error, and wrongful death. Individual web pages explain each of these categories. There can be overlap in these categories. For instance, a misdiagnosis can happen in the emergency room. Also, any medical malpractice case can become a wrongful death case if the patient dies.

Your Specific Type of Medical Malpractice

There are over 50 specialty pages for particular types of medical malpractice. The links are found at the bottom of the medical malpractice page and every major category page. You can look up the specific type of medical malpractice claim that you have and read in detail about the anatomy involved and the symptoms that present; the kind of doctor to see and the types of tests that diagnose the condition; the treatment options, including how doctors perform potential surgeries; the prognosis; and possible medical malpractice claims.

You may notice what medical providers did wrong in your care in reading these materials. There may be symptoms that should have alerted your doctor to run particular tests that they did not do. You may read about how the surgery you had caused you injury that should not have happened. You can learn much about your potential medical malpractice claim before contacting us.

Additional Resources for Before We File Your Claim

On our Additional Resources Page:

• Research and read articles about the medical condition you have.
• Look up your doctors to see if patients have sued them for medical malpractice. 
• Free power of attorney forms
• Links on requesting medical records, death certificates, and autopsies.

Your Free Consultation with Baltimore Medical Malpractice Attorney Mark Kopec

The Kopec Law Firm also provides resources you can review before you call for your free consultation explaining what is involved. You can watch a video or read about it on a webpage. 

Below on this webpage, you can also read many frequently asked questions (FAQs) that our clients have and the answers we provide. Before you call the Kopec Law Firm, you will be utterly comfortable understanding the free consultation and what to expect.

Resources During Your Court Case

After your free consultation with Attorney Mark Kopec, he will research and investigate your potential case. If we can pursue a case for you, he will bring in one of his litigation partners to take the lead on the litigation phase of the lawsuit. That litigation partner will be assigned based on your specific type of medical malpractice claim and the city or county in which we will file the case.

Notably, the litigation partner will be available to pursue your case immediately. Your case will not sit with nothing happening.

The Kopec Law Firm regularly gets calls from clients with other law firms that sat on their cases for multiple years. Sometimes, when they call us, there is not enough time left in the statute of limitations for a case for us to investigate at that late point.

Last, attorney Mark Kopec stays involved and is always available to speak with you. We have obtained numerous multi-million-dollar results, and satisfied clients have repeatedly left excellent reviews. You will be glad that you came here.

The Filing of Your Court Case by the Baltimore Medical Malpractice Attorney

The filing of your case in court is the point at which most medical malpractice attorneys stop giving you website information about your claim, and it is just as the most important things begin to happen in your case.

At the Kopec Law Firm, we are committed to providing you with the information and support you need throughout your case. We offer individual pages for each of the 12 phases of the litigation process of a medical malpractice case, allowing you to follow the progression of your case in order. You can see and understand what the lawyers are doing in each phase, and importantly, you can also see your responsibilities at each stage. This transparency and guidance are crucial in ensuring you feel secure and confident in the legal process. 

Additional Resources During Your Court Case

In addition to the litigation process webpages, the Kopec Law Firm provides you with the following Additional Resources for during your court case:

• The Baltimore Medical Malpractice Lawyer Blog discusses Maryland appellate court opinions in medical malpractice cases and other personal injury cases involving issues that also arise in medical malpractice. You can read recent posts or search by category to learn about any specific legal issue that may apply to your court case.
• How to file administrative complaints against medical providers
• Where to go for help with medical insurance

Below are some of the Frequently Asked Questions that the Kopec Law Firm answers.

If you are ready for your free consultation, visit the free consultation page or video. Then contact the Kopec Law Firm at 800-604-0704 to speak directly with Attorney Mark Kopec. He is a top-rated Baltimore medical malpractice attorney. The Kopec Law Firm is in Baltimore and pursues cases throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C.

FAQs to the Baltimore Medical Malpractice Attorney

How Does the Legal Fee of the Baltimore Medical Malpractice Attorney Work?

Unlike law firms in other legal specialties, the Kopec Law Firm always gives you a free consultation. This can be done by phone, and you will speak directly with attorney Mark Kopec. In less than 20 minutes, attorney Kopec can usually tell you if you have a medical malpractice case we can investigate.

Other legal specialties require upfront deposits and ongoing payments during the case. At the Kopec Law Firm, we handle your Baltimore medical malpractice case on a contingency fee. As a result, there are no fees or expenses until we get money for you.

What Money Award Can I Get from a Baltimore Medical Malpractice Case?

The victim of Baltimore medical malpractice can get money for the pain and suffering caused by the injuries. These damages are non-economic, and Maryland has a cap that adjusts annually. You can claim past and future medical bills to treat the injuries. Victims also can obtain past and future lost wages. If the victim of the medical malpractice died, then the victim’s estate can pursue the damages.

In Maryland, if the malpractice resulted in the death of your spouse, parent, or child, then you can bring a wrongful death claim. You get money for non-economic damages including the emotional pain and suffering, and loss of companionship and care. Claimants can also claim economic damages for any financial support you depended on from the person who died.

If there is no spouse, parent or child of the deceased, you may assert a claim if you are related by blood or marriage and were substantially dependent upon the deceased.

What Is the Time Deadline for the Baltimore Medical Malpractice Attorney to Bring a Case?

CJP 5-109 provides the general rule in Maryland. The statute of limitations deadline is the earlier of five years of committing, or three years of discovering, the injury. However, there are exceptions. A minor’s claim can be filed by the 21st birthday, even though the period for the parents’ claim is not extended. Also, for an action against the Veterans Administration, an administrative claim must be submitted within two years.

You can read more about Maryland cases on this topic on our Blog posts on the statute of limitations in Earl v. SSC, Grgac v. Dash, Janvier v. Greyhound, and Hitt v. Dimensions.

The deadline can be a complex issue. That is why you should call us for the advice of an experienced Baltimore medical malpractice attorney to get the answer based on your specific case’s facts.

What Type of Injury Qualifies for a Medical Malpractice Case?

At Kopec Law Firm, we understand the financial implications of medical malpractice cases. These cases are often costly to bring forth due to the expenses of paying doctor expert witnesses and the litigation costs, which usually exceed $50,000. For complex cases, these expenses can even rise to between $100,000 and $200,000. Furthermore, these cases can take one to two years to complete, adding to the financial burden. Because of these high costs and the time required, a permanent injury is usually needed to pursue a money award that would exceed the case expenses and make it worth your time.

Additionally, if you are still treating, we may not be able to assess the potential damages at this point. For instance, if you are going to have another surgery that could completely fix the problem, we usually cannot pursue a case until we know the outcome of the surgery.

However, there can be exceptions to the above statements. When you call for your free consultation at 800-604-0704, attorney Mark Kopec will assess your injury and advise you on your specific situation. We’re here to help guide you through this difficult process.

Who Will Help Me on My Case?

Your case begins with a free consultation directly with attorney Mark Kopec at Kopec Law Firm, unlike other firms where you speak with an assistant. Attorney Kopec is a top-rated Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer.

Attorney Kopec gathers the necessary information to assess your potential case. This includes details concerning the medical treatment you received and the resulting injury.

Once Attorney Kopec concludes that your case warrants further investigation, one of the litigators that Kopec Law Firm collaborates with joins to take the lead on the court case. This litigator will have experience in your type of case and in the court where they case will be pursued. In addition, rest assured, Attorney Kopec remains available to you at all times.

How Long Will the Court Process Take?

The time a medical malpractice case takes to complete varies based on different factors. One of the most unpredictable factors is the court’s schedule. For this reason, be prepared for a lawsuit to take 1 ½ to 2 years. Unfortunately, there is no way to shorten this process.

It is a myth that “the hospital and doctor will want to settle quickly.” In actuality, medical defendants usually defend claims aggressively. They look for any opportunity to poke a fatal hole in the plaintiff’s case. That often means thorough discovery and any applicable dispositive motions.

Although sometimes a case can be settled without filing a lawsuit, even in those instances, the hospital or doctor’s lawyers insist on first doing an internal investigation and review. Unfortunately, this process can sometimes go on for many months. In light of this, the plaintiff’s attorney must make sure the hospital or doctor is not using this process for delay. It may be necessary to give them a deadline, after which the attorney will file the lawsuit.

You can learn more about the various litigation phases, from the free consultation until the successful conclusion of your case, on the process pages of this website.

Will I Have to Go to Trial?

Hospitals and doctors settle out of court in the large majority of cases. Suppose we determine that you have a viable medical malpractice case. In that instance, you will likely receive an out-of-court settlement offer. Settlement usually happens at the end of the court process.

An inexperienced attorney may not position your case for an out-of-court settlement. If the hospital or doctor spots a weakness in your case, you may be in court for a trial.

Why Did This Bad Medical Outcome Happen?

Clients frequently ask this question. Unfortunately, the doctor often disappears when there is a bad medical outcome, leaving the patient with unanswered questions. When you call the Kopec Law Firm, attorney Mark Kopec will use his legal and medical knowledge and 30+ years of legal experience to answer the questions your doctor should have answered. If medical malpractice appears to be involved, we will get the medical records to provide more information.

Are the Medical Records Important to Get?

Suppose the circumstances indicate that medical malpractice may have occurred. In that case, the next step is to get and review the medical records.

Some attorneys will tell you to request the medical records and call them back when you have them. Getting documents can be an expensive and time-consuming process. When you call the Kopec Law Firm, we will get the records for the investigation.

If you have already gotten the medical records, please let us know. Suppose you have had an attorney look at your case, and the attorney got medical records. In that instance, we can review them to give you a second opinion.

Where in Maryland Does the Baltimore Medical Malpractice Attorney File the Case?

Maryland Rule 6-201 provides that a plaintiff shall file an action in the county where the defendant resides or carries on regular business. Plaintiffs usually file medical malpractice cases where the doctor committed the malpractice. There can be exceptions. It is best to call us to consult with an experienced Baltimore medical malpractice attorney to get an answer based on the facts of your specific situation.

The Kopec Law Firm is in Baltimore and pursues cases with co-counsels throughout Maryland, D.C., and other states. We are ready to help you whether in the Baltimore area, Southern Maryland/D.C., the Eastern Shore, or Western Maryland.

Where Do You File My Baltimore City Medical Malpractice Case?

We start by filing your Baltimore City medical malpractice case in the Health Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Office (HCADRO). After we waive arbitration, we transfer your case to the circuit court, which is the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.

The Circuit Court for Baltimore City is in two buildings across the street from each other. The Mitchell Courthouse is at 100 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, and the Courthouse East (AKA Cummings Courthouse) is at 111 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202.

The Courthouse hours are 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday. The Clerk’s Office for the Civil Division is in room 462 of Courthouse East. The Clerk’s Office receives the filings in your case.

Suppose your Baltimore City medical malpractice case goes to trial. In that case, a judge in one of the two courthouses will preside over the trial. You must also attend a pretrial conference in one of the courthouses.

The Court’s website provides additional information that will be helpful to you during your case’s pendency. It includes the holidays on which the Court is closed, directions and parking information, closing/delay status, and the cell phone policy.

My Family Member Died. Are the Death Certificate and Autopsy Report Necessary?

When someone dies, we must prove that medical malpractice was the cause of death. In some situations, the cause of death is apparent, and the death certificate’s finding is all that is needed. However, an autopsy may be necessary in cases where the cause of death is unclear. An autopsy can often reveal the cause of death in greater detail through examination.

As a result, if you are concerned that your family member may have died from medical malpractice, request an autopsy. Keep in mind that the medical examiner or hospital can decline the request.

What Will Happen to My Doctor if I Sue?

Doctors have insurance for when they commit malpractice, much like a car drivers have insurance for when they cause a car accident. In most medical malpractice cases, insurance covers the amount the plaintiff receives.

Nothing usually prevents the doctor from continuing to practice medicine. If you would like to file an administrative complaint concerning the doctor, see the administrative complaints links on the Additional Resources page.

¿Habla español?

Sí, cuando llame a Kopec Law Firm, simplemente diga que le gustaría hablar con un abogado en español. Le daremos una consulta gratuita con un abogado en español. ¡Qué tenga un lindo día!

Next Step: Call Your Baltimore Medical Malpractice Attorney

Call the Kopec Law Firm at 800-604-0704 to speak directly with Attorney Mark Kopec. He is a top-rated Baltimore medical malpractice attorney. The Kopec Law Firm is in Baltimore and pursues cases throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C.