Medical Malpractice Law Firm in Grand Rapids, Michigan
We know what it takes to win. Our clients agree.
Hoffer & Sheremet's medical malpractice lawyers represent patients in claims against healthcare providers. We guide our clients through every step of a lawsuit against hospitals, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers. When you need an experienced medical malpractice attorney in Grand Rapids or anywhere in Michigan, Hoffer & Sheremet is a law firm you can trust to get results.
The deck is stacked against patients and families when it comes to medical mistakes in Michigan. When you or a loved one is seriously injured as a result of medical negligence, you need a professional negligence lawyer with the knowledge to navigate you through Michigan's complex medical malpractice laws.
We do not settle our clients' cases for pennies on the dollar. If the defendants do not offer our clients fair compensation for their injuries, we take the case to trial. And we are able to win when others can't.
Choosing the right trial lawyers to handle your case is crucial. It could be the difference between winning and losing, high settlement or a low settlement, justice or disappointment.
Medical Malpractice FAQs
What is medical malpractice?
Medical malpractice, by legal definition, is when a licensed healthcare provider (like a doctor or nurse) or entity (like a hospital) "breaches the standard of care" "causing" "injury" and "damages" to a patient. Let's break down each phrase.
When we say "standard of care," we mean what a reasonable healthcare provider practicing the same profession and specialty (if a doctor) would do under the same or similar circumstances. Everyone makes mistakes. Not all mistakes rise to the level of medical malpractice. It is only when a mistake is made that a reasonable healthcare provider of the same specialty would not have made that there was a breach of the standard of care.
Next, that breach must have "caused" the injury. This means that the injury was a direct and natural consequence of the mistake. You cannot win a malpractice case if you cannot prove that the injury was caused by the error. For example, if there was a delay in diagnosing metastatic cancer, but the delay was only a week, then you most likely will not be able to prove that the error caused the metastasis because the delay is too short.
There must be an actual, physical injury to have a medical malpractice case. So if a patient falls because of nursing negligence, but doesn't get hurt, then there is no valid medical malpractice case.
The last thing you need for a medical malpractice case are damages. "Damages" are the amount of money that is lost or spent because of the malpractice as well as compensation for pain and suffering. Take our patient fall example. If the patient only suffers a bruise, then even though there is an injury, there aren't enough damages to actually pursue a claim. You simply would never collect enough money to justify the law suit.
How is a medical malpractice lawsuit filed in Michigan?
Filing a lawsuit against a physician, hospital, nurse or other healthcare provider in Michigan is subject to many strict rules and laws. There are a lot of hoops to jump through. At Hoffer & Sheremet, after we accept your case for an initial review, we review all of the medical records and identify an expert witness that meets certain legal requirements. The expert then reviews your case. If they agree that the doctor or other healthcare provider made a mistake, we give what's called a "Notice of Intent" to the doctors and hospitals.
After that, there is a six-month waiting period. Only a few cases are settled during this "notice period." If your case does not settle, we file a medical malpractice Complaint along with an Affidavit of Merit from our expert witness. This starts the lawsuit. For more detailed information about medical malpractice procedure, read our article: Medical Malpractice 101.
From our initial meeting until resolution of your claim, our medical malpractice lawyers will explain every step of this complicated process. We will also have a medical professional review your case at the outset, so you are fully informed of the strengths and potential weaknesses of your case, and can make an informed decision before a suit is filed.
What compensation is available in medical malpractice cases?
Damages are an important element of medical malpractice cases. At Hoffer & Sheremet, we begin analyzing your damages from the very beginning and work with you to decide a reasonable value for your case. Damages include economic damages, like medical expenses, lost wages, replacement services, and other things that have cost you money. It also includes non-economic damages, which is compensation for things like pain and suffering, scarring and disfigurement. Non-economic damages are capped in Michigan. Read more in our article dedicated to damages in medical malpractice cases.
What kind of medical malpractice cases does Hoffer & Sheremet handle?
At Hoffer & Sheremet, we take virtually all kinds of medical malpractice cases on behalf of patients and families. (We do not accept dental malpractice cases or cases arising from mental health treatment.) We sue doctors, hospitals, nurses, and other health care providers who make mistakes that cause serious, life-altering injuries.
Here are some examples of cases our malpractice lawyers accept:
I want Hoffer & Sheremet to take my case. What's next?
We hope we can help! There are a few ways to get started. Call us at 616.278.0888, complete our free consultation form, or send us an email. Many times we can tell you if you have a valid claim in our initial phone consultation. No appointment is necessary for an initial phone consultation.
You do not need to have medical records or even know what to say for an initial consultation. Our team is trained to ask you the right questions to get our lawyers the information they need. And if you can't answer all of their questions, that's okay, too! Once we have some information, our Best of Grand Rapids medical malpractice attorneys will review what happened. If they think we can help, or we need more information, we will set a phone call or Zoom meeting for you with our lawyers. They will take it from there!
