How much will it cost me to pursue my case?
The costs of pursuing medical malpractice cases include the costs of obtaining medical records, reviews by medical experts, depositions, and other investigative costs. Some attorneys ask clients to advance or pay for some of the upfront costs to evaluate the case or hire an expert to review the case. While these upfront costs are often in the range of $2,500 or more, Dr. Fagel advances the costs for all cases that he reviews without charge. If, after review of the medical records, Dr. Fagel decides to pursue the case, he will advance all of the case’s necessary costs, which are usually in the range of $50,000 to $250,000, but can occasionally be even more. These costs are then paid back at the end of the case from the money that is recovered in settlement.
It is important to choose a medical malpractice attorney who has the financial resources to pursue the case through either trial or settlement. Unfortunately, many attorneys do not have the finances to retain sufficient experts or conduct sufficient discovery to obtain a maximum settlement. Instead, they attempt to obtain a quick settlement with a doctor or hospital, even if it is less than reasonable value, to avoid further costs.