Process guide
Direct answer
Free, confidential intake. Complete medical records, billing, and imaging are gathered.
A qualified medical expert evaluates whether the standard of care was breached and caused harm.
State-required notices, certificates, or panel reviews are completed where mandated.
If the case is viable, suit is filed in the proper court within the limitations period.
Depositions, written discovery, and expert disclosures build the evidentiary record.
Many cases resolve through negotiation or court-ordered mediation.
Cases that don't settle proceed to jury trial. Either party may appeal.
Many states require an injured patient to do specific things before filing — issue formal notice, obtain a certificate of merit, or submit the case to a screening panel. Missing one of these requirements can defeat a meritorious claim.
See the statute of limitations guide and your state-specific page for details.