The Importance of a Comprehensive Case Evaluation

April 20, 2016

Sometimes, to control initial costs, an attorney will utilize a service that offers quick opinions on potential malpractice cases. Depending on the case, this may be an effective screening tool, but this scenario can also be problematic, since the experts do not always get the complete picture.  

Take a recent case for example. The case was preliminarily reviewed by two orthopedic surgeons to evaluate the issue of alignment in a foot surgery.  The attorney did not want to spend a lot of money on the case and only had the experts review operative reports and postoperative x-rays.  Both surgeons noted that the alignment was within the acceptable standards of care, and that the problems suffered by the patient were known complications of the surgery.  The case was then submitted by a different attorney and a Comprehensive Case evaluation was performed. After the complete set of records and radiographs were reviewed, the orthopedic surgeon opined that the alignment was within the acceptable standards of care but that the surgery was not medically necessary.

Many times, in order to save on costs, the quick overview of a case is sent to a doctor to get an opinion on whether the case should be pursued.  Sometimes it is a simple answer to “is this a known complication?” Other times there are a series of steps taken in treatment that affect the overall outcome, or there is a misstep that is not apparent to the attorney or client.  This is where a Comprehensive Case evaluation will benefit your case.

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The medical-legal arena has placed great demands on the plaintiffs to justify their claims.  This has become very costly and time consuming.  To provide the complete answer to clients about the care provided, it is important to have every aspect of the care reviewed.

There are definitely cases that meet the criteria for a quick review, but sometimes the client is not served when the case does not receive a fully detailed work up. When errors lead to death or serious injury,  victims are entitled to fair compensation. Every case is different and each deserves the special attention of qualified professionals.

To avoid over looking important facts that could change the merits of your case, we recommend using our Comprehensive Case evaluation service.