How Quality Legal Counsel Makes a Difference in the Claims Process

Getting sued is never easy. In fact, as any claims experienced dentist or physician can tell you, it’s incredibly stressful. From beginning to end, the process (which may or may not be resolved in a trial) is long and can be quite grueling. However, it can make a difference to have confidence that you’re in attentive and capable hands.

Here’s what one MLMIC policyholder had to say about his experience with the legal services we provided (please note: we removed the attorney’s name throughout and replaced it with “defense counsel”):

I am writing regarding representation that I received.  I had the unfortunate situation of being involved in three separate dental malpractice suits.  My carrier, MLMIC, first put me in contact with [the defense counsel] back in 2009. Since that time, I have spent countless hours with him on the phone, meeting in person, emailing, texting, being deposed and sitting in court.  Throughout the past six years, I have always found [the defense counsel] professional, knowledgeable, personable and reassuring. He took my cases extremely seriously and seemingly personal. There were many occasions that we spoke on Sunday nights and when I know he had personal time with his family.

As you are keenly aware, these type of cases never proceed in a straight line. [The defense counsel] was always available to answer questions regarding strategy, scheduling, procedural issues or simply to put me at ease. His style is calming when needed and aggressive when necessary.

I have business interactions with many types of people across many professions and I do not hesitate to convey that [the defense counsel] is one of the best. I would be remiss if I did not mention that we were on the winning side of three out of three cases. You cannot beat that outcome.

Letters such as these are routinely received by MLMIC, and they confirm the quality of the legal services provided to all of our insureds. We work hard to make sure you have an experienced team to protect you. So what does that mean in practical terms?

We can’t guarantee a particular outcome, of course, but here’s a bird’s eye view of what you can expect if you need to file a claim:

• MLMIC, along with a highly experienced defense counsel, gathers information about the case, to provide you with a deliberate and thorough defense.

• Assigned counsel is on call for MLMIC insureds seven days a week to answer any questions or allay any fears they may have. Many develop special relationships over the years (similar to the letter writer’s experience) and are often specifically requested when a new action is served on an insured.

• Following assignment of a case, defense counsel prepares an answer for the insured and serves necessary legal documents.

• Counsel meets with our insureds early on to first explain the legal process and discuss strategy. They spend as much time as necessary ensuring they are properly prepared for their depositions and, if necessary, trial testimony. This preparation includes going over all entries in an insured’s chart, preparing for likely deposition questions and advising how answers should be expressed and formulated.

• We encourage our insureds to assist their attorneys in formulating defense strategies, and while some avoid being involved in the process, others choose to take a very active roll.

• As the case proceeds, counsel keeps our insureds informed regarding all developments.

Regardless of the ultimate outcome, MLMIC insureds have consistently reported high levels of satisfaction with the representation they received. If you have specific questions related to the claims process or defense counsel, please reach out to us anytime.