When we first meet with clients to discuss their medical malpractice case, one of the first questions they ask is: How long will the case take to complete?
This is a difficult question to answer because every lawsuit has its own unique set of circumstances that can affect how long the process lasts. From the initial investigation to filing a complaint to receiving a verdict, no two cases are the same—however, below is a breakdown of possible outcomes:
- At the bare minimum, if a case can be resolved before it reaches a jury through other means, such as pre-trial mediation, the entire process can take anywhere from nine months to a year and a half.
- However, if a trial is necessary and the case is decided by the jury, the losing side will often appeal to the jury’s decision. If this occurs, your case will move to a district court of appeals. Once there, the court can take upwards of two more years on average to deliver an opinion.
- If one of the parties disagrees with the district court of appeals’ opinion, it can be appealed once again, where it will then move to the Florida Supreme Court, where that court can either affirm or reverse the lower court’s opinion. This step can add yet another year to three years to your medical malpractice case, and by this point, it could have spent over six years in the legal system.
- It is possible that the Florida Supreme Court will rule that your case was not decided upon correctly. While this scenario is uncommon, your case will then be sent all the way back to the trial court, where it was first heard by a jury, to be retried – potentially extending the time it will take to receive a verdict by several more years.
At Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen, our goal is maximizing the value of your case, and sometimes that means extra steps need to be taken before, during, and after it goes to trial to ensure you receive the justice you deserve.
However, we understand how emotional and disruptive being at the center of medical malpractice lawsuits can be, and we will work to move your case along as efficiently as possible so that you can attain recovery and continue with your life.
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