I am looking for a Local attorney that does Elder Care and Estate Planning law. Any recommendations? Thank you :-)
Paula P. replied:
Grace Connolly in Newburyport... She's wonderful..
Jill B. replied:
Priscilla Arnott in Amesbury specializes in elder law and is fantastic
Ann S. replied:
Connolly & Connolly Newburyport
Myfanwy C. replied:
We do elder care/estate planning. Our headquarters are in Woburn but we have an office in Beverly as well. Initial consultation is free. Please message me if you want me to set up an (in person or on phone) appointment for you http://www.maheritagelawcenter.com/
Medical Malpractice attorney recommendations? Please excuse me if this isn't the best sub to post to!
Long story short, my mother has had some negligent medical care...
Am_Sci replied:
Don't try to get recommendations on the Internet. Call the mass bar association's lawyer referral service@(617) 654-0400. They should be able to find you a lawyer who will meet with you at no charge to discuss your options.
Res_ipsa_loquitor replied:
What ever you decide to do, know that you only have three years since the moment you learned about the negligence to file a lawsuit.
shitscaliasays replied:
Hi, I do med mal. I disagree about avoiding recommendations on the Internet — word of mouth is not a bad way to find a lawyer. The key is to remain critical once you've got a name. Ask a few questions:
—a reputable med mal attorney will charge a contingency fee. You won't be charged anything If you lose the case. Be sure to get the fee upfront. Also it's not unusual for these cases to run up significant costs. A good attorney won't charge you for the costs unless you win.
—ask what sort of results they've had. Some firms will do a lot of marketing to sign up cases. But if the case is too tough or it requires going to trial to win, they will take your case but refer it to what I call a real lawyer to work up and win. These firms make their money on referral fees. If they win the case they'll list it as a win for their firm. So ask if they're just going to refer you. There's nothing unethical about this and it might be the best way for you to find a real lawyer. Your overall fee shouldn't change. But if you have the choice between going with a firm that works the case up themselves and going with a referral firm, you should pick the latter.
—At the end of the day, you want the lawyer that's going to be handling your case to not be afraid of taking it to trial. Most lawyers are scared of trial because it's risky and requires -a lot- of work. So, ask which specific attorney will be handling your case. Some firms will tell you we all work on your case. Ask when the last time they went to trial was and what was the specific $ result. trials are becoming more and more rare thanks to tort reform but you'll want an attorney that has recent trial experience.
Whoever you find, you should now have some ability to evaluate them. If you run into any weird hiccups or have other questions, just shoot me a msg and I can at least tell you what is usual practice vs something that perhaps you should ask some more questions about.
Good luck and all the best to your mom. :)
coral15 replied:
This is what happens when you try to sue a doctor or dentist in Massachusetts....basically, everything is stacked against you.
First, their malpractice will deny your claim. They will even go so far as to falsify your records.
Then it is up to you to find a doctor to sign an affidavit saying what you are saying was negligence is true. Then it is sent to the medical tribunal (3 people...a lawyer, a medical professional the same as you are trying to sue, and I forget the third...another lawyer or judge?). They will then decide if you have enough evidence to take it to trial.
The BIG problem is, doctors won't rat each other out, even if it is blatant malpractice. You will have to pay an expert witness big money.
You are better off first reporting them to the proper board. If they find they were negligent, your case is a slam dunk...and remember, you only have three years to do this.
Signed....a victim of blatant malpractice. In Massachusetts, the system is set up so these doctors and dentists (which was my case) can do anything they want and not have to face any repercussions.
Good Luck
Who's a professional electrician. Can somebody explain to me, cos i've never heard any profession like professional doctor, professional lawyer , professional farmer etc