The Importance of Board Certified Lawyers

2 of 5 Board Certified Medical Malpractice Attorneys for Plaintiffs who are Injured in South Carolina are at Kahn Law Firm, LLP

Two Board Certified Plaintiff Medical Malpractice Attorneys are with Kahn Law Firm, LLP. That's more than at any other firm in South Carolina. Although we are located in Charleston, we work on medical malpractice cases in all of South Carolina.

We also work with attorneys who wish to associate with us on their medical malpractice cases.

Why Choose a Board Certified Lawyer?

Most people have some understanding of board certified doctors. For example, suppose you experienced severe chest pains and went to an emergency room where an imminent heart attack was diagnosed. Suppose the emergency room doctor informs you that he is calling in a general practitioner to assess your situation and initiate treatment. What? A general practitioner? Of course not. The likelihood is that you will be seen by a specialist, a cardiologist; assuming you’re in a metropolitan area.

Now, suppose there are two cardiologists available to treat you. Each has equal years in practice. One is board certified in cardiology and one has no board certification. Which one would you choose? The one board certified, of course. Why? Because, sight unseen, one presumes the board certified cardiologist has superior skill, knowledge and experience. At the very least, we know one made the effort to go beyond the minimum practice requirements. That effort suggests, does not prove but does suggest, a more serious dedication to superior medical practice.

Many people are familiar with physician board certification and generally know what it implies. So, as a lay person, assume you choose the board certified cardiologist, but during catheterization he pokes a hole in your heart. You look for a lawyer to file a medical malpractice claim. Do you, as a lay person, know that lawyers, like doctors, can be board certified?

Unfortunately, for the vast majority of Americans, there is no knowledge that lawyers, like doctors, can be board certified. Of course, lawyer board certification programs are voluntary. No lawyer is prohibited from practicing in any specialty field, and certified lawyers can practice outside of their field of certification.

The ultimate answer is that potential clients should know that board certified lawyers have made the effort beyond minimum practice requirements. Board certified lawyers are required to attend continuing legal education programs in their specialty. The board certifying organizations, approved by the American Bar Association, require proof of high ethical conduct in order for board certification to continue.

Board certification in a specialty also strongly suggests an active interest and expertise in that area of the law. So, the question is: Why not seriously consider a lawyer or lawyers who are board certified in a specialty to handle a matter in that specialty for you?

Qualification for Board Certification

Any candidate for Board Certification must be viewed by the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys (ABPLA) as having met ABPLA's high standards in each of these five key areas before the attorney can be Board Certified. The ABPLA certifies lawyers who specialize in either Medical or Legal professional liability.

ABPLA's Mission Statement

ABPLA recognizes that the public needs help navigating the confusing waters of attorney selection and needs some method by which they can identify malpractice attorneys with superior knowledge and expertise to handle this highly technical litigation. Through meticulous screening of applicants and administration of examinations in their particular areas of malpractice litigation, the ABPLA identifies highly qualified lawyers, vetted by objective measures, which the public can rely upon to be among the best malpractice attorneys in the country.

In a similar way, lawyers who do not practice in the area of professional negligence also need a method of selecting qualified malpractice attorneys to whom they can refer clients with bona fide malpractice claims. Board certification is a mechanism by which members of the legal profession can recognize trial lawyers with this specialized experience and be confident that the client will be well served.

Beyond identification and certification, the ABPLA's further purpose is continued training and education of outstanding malpractice lawyers, as well as training promising younger lawyers who express an interest in practicing professional liability law. Through the tutelage of leaders in malpractice litigation, aspiring malpractice trial attorneys are introduced to cutting edge concepts to promote outstanding results in professional liability lawsuits.

Moving forward in the twenty first century, the mission of ABPLA is to take advantage of information technology to improve its ability to identify and certify leading malpractice lawyers, and to provide consumers with a simple and easily accessible method of locating board certified attorneys. By giving consumers and lawyers a choice of malpractice attorneys who meet and exceed the highest of objective standards, clients can be confident that they will have exceptional representation in their malpractice lawsuits.