Sterling Heights medical malpractice lawyers at Goodman Acker help patients and families in Macomb County after serious medical mistakes. If a doctor, hospital, or other provider failed to meet the accepted standard of care and caused harm, you may have a claim.
Michigan medical malpractice cases have strict rules and deadlines. Our team reviews records, works with medical experts, and handles claims involving surgery, diagnosis, emergency care, birth injuries, and other preventable errors.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation. Call 248-483-5000 for a free consultation.
How Goodman Acker Builds Medical Malpractice Claims for Macomb County Families
We have represented med mal victims across Michigan for more than three decades, recovering a $6.5 million medical malpractice settlement in Oakland County and a $1 million settlement for a patient who suffered brain damage due to hospital negligence.
Although past results do not guarantee future outcomes, those cases reflect the depth of preparation these claims require.
Why Med Mal Requires a Different Kind of Preparation
Medical malpractice cases demand a level of medical knowledge that most personal injury attorneys do not have.
We review your medical records in detail, consult with physicians in the relevant specialty, and identify the specific moment where the standard of care broke down. That work happens before we ever send the notice of intent.
Sterling Heights residents receive care at hospitals and medical facilities throughout Macomb County and the broader Metro Detroit area, including facilities in Warren, Troy, and Clinton Township.
Errors at any of those locations may give rise to a malpractice claim, and our Sterling Heights office puts us in close proximity to the courts and medical institutions involved in these cases.
Contingency Fee, No Upfront Cost
We handle medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Given the expense of medical record review and physician consultations, this model removes the financial barrier that prevents many patients from pursuing legitimate claims.
If you suspect a medical error caused harm to you or someone in your family, call 248-483-5000 for an honest evaluation at no charge.
What Makes Medical Malpractice Cases Different from Other Injury Claims?
Medical malpractice claims in Michigan follow a separate set of procedural rules that make them harder to file and more time-sensitive than standard personal injury cases. Before you file a lawsuit, Michigan law requires specific steps that do not apply to other types of injury claims.
Michigan imposes several requirements that are unique to med mal cases:
| Procedural Requirement | What It Means |
| Notice of Intent (NOI) | Written notice sent to each healthcare provider at least 182 days before filing suit |
| Affidavit of Merit | A statement from a qualified medical professional confirming the claim has merit, filed with the complaint |
| Shortened Statute of Limitations | Two years from the date of the malpractice, with a discovery rule extension in limited situations |
| Non-Economic Damages Cap | Michigan law caps pain and suffering awards in med mal cases, with amounts adjusted periodically |
These requirements make Michigan medical malpractice cases procedurally different from most other personal injury claims. Missing any single step may result in dismissal regardless of how strong the underlying evidence is.
The Notice of Intent Requirement
Under MCL 600.2912b, you must send a written notice of intent (NOI) to each healthcare provider you plan to sue at least 182 days before filing the lawsuit.
That notice must describe the factual basis for the claim, the standard of care the provider violated, the actions that breached that standard, and the injuries that resulted.
Sending the NOI pauses the statute of limitations for 182 days, but it also gives the healthcare provider and their legal team six months to prepare a defense.
An attorney who regularly handles medical negligence cases in Macomb County knows how to use that notice period strategically rather than simply waiting it out.
The Affidavit of Merit
Michigan law also requires an affidavit of merit, signed by a qualified medical professional, to accompany the complaint when you file your lawsuit.
Under MCL 600.2912d, the signing professional must meet specific qualification requirements related to the same area of practice as the defendant provider. A malpractice claim filed without a proper affidavit of merit faces immediate dismissal.
What Types of Medical Malpractice Do We Handle in Macomb County?
Medical malpractice takes many forms, and the injuries that result from provider negligence range from temporary setbacks to permanent disability or death. Errors may occur at any stage of treatment, from the initial diagnosis through surgery and post-operative care.
The medical malpractice cases we most commonly handle include:
- Surgical errors such as wrong-site surgery, retained instruments, or damage to surrounding organs during a procedure
- Diagnostic failures, including missed cancer diagnoses, delayed detection of heart conditions, and misreading of imaging results
- Medication errors involving wrong dosages, dangerous drug interactions, or prescriptions given to the wrong patient
- Anesthesia mistakes that lead to brain injury, nerve damage, or awareness during surgery
- Emergency room negligence, including premature discharge and failure to order appropriate testing
Every one of these case types requires proof that the provider deviated from the accepted standard of care and that the deviation directly caused your injury. That proof comes from medical records, physician testimony, and a detailed timeline of your treatment.
What Are Birth Injury Malpractice Claims?
Birth injury malpractice occurs when medical negligence during pregnancy, labor, or delivery causes harm to the mother or child. These cases often involve catastrophic, lifelong injuries that require ongoing medical care, adaptive equipment, and specialized education.
Goodman Acker has significant experience handling birth trauma claims across Michigan. We represent families whose children suffered preventable injuries because a doctor or hospital failed to meet the standard of care during one of the most high-risk medical events a family faces.
Common Birth Injuries Linked to Medical Negligence
Birth injuries caused by provider error often involve failures in fetal monitoring, delayed decisions to perform a cesarean section, or mishandled delivery complications. The resulting injuries may include:
- Cerebral palsy caused by oxygen deprivation during prolonged or mismanaged labor
- Erb’s palsy and brachial plexus injuries from excessive force during shoulder dystocia
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a form of brain damage caused by restricted blood flow or oxygen before or during delivery
- Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), damage to the white matter of the brain often linked to premature birth complications
The financial and emotional weight of a birth injury claim reflects the long-term care these children require. Compensation in these cases may need to account for decades of medical treatment, therapy, and support services.
What Is the Deadline for Filing a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit in Michigan?
Michigan’s medical malpractice statute of limitations (MCL 600.5805) generally requires you to file your lawsuit within two years from the date the malpractice occurred.
A separate provision under MCL 600.5838a may extend that deadline to six months after you discovered the injury, but no lawsuit may be filed more than six years after the date of the act that caused the harm.
How the Notice of Intent Affects Your Timeline
Because you must send a notice of intent 182 days before filing, your effective deadline to begin the process is earlier than the lawsuit filing deadline itself.
Waiting until the last months of the limitation period and then discovering you need to send an NOI first may leave you without enough time to comply with both requirements.
Deadlines for Birth Injury Claims Involving Minors
For a medical malpractice claim that accrues before a child’s eighth birthday, Michigan law under MCL 600.5851 generally allows the claim to be filed by the child’s 10th birthday or within the standard medical malpractice limitations period, whichever is later.
Because exceptions and notice requirements may affect the timeline, parents who suspect a birth injury should speak with an attorney as soon as possible to protect the child’s filing rights.
What Compensation Might a Sterling Heights Medical Malpractice Case Recover?
Compensation in a Michigan medical malpractice case depends on the severity of the injury, the cost of past and future medical care, and the degree to which the error affected the patient’s life.
Economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages have no cap under Michigan law, but non-economic damages are subject to a statutory limit.
Michigan’s Non-Economic Damages Cap
Michigan law caps non-economic damages (pain and suffering) in medical malpractice cases under MCL 600.1483. The cap amounts adjust periodically for inflation.
A higher cap may apply only in specific severe-injury situations, such as certain paralysis, permanent cognitive impairment that prevents independent life decisions, or permanent reproductive injury. Death does not automatically qualify a claim for the higher cap.
Types of Recoverable Damages
Depending on the nature of the injury, a Sterling Heights medical malpractice case may seek recovery for:
- Past and future medical expenses, including corrective surgeries, rehabilitation, and long-term care
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity resulting from the injury
- Pain and suffering, subject to the statutory cap
- Loss of consortium, meaning the harm to a spouse’s relationship caused by the patient’s injuries
- Funeral and burial expenses in wrongful death cases
The distinction between capped and uncapped damages makes accurate calculation one of the most consequential parts of any med mal claim in Michigan. Your attorney must identify every category of loss and calculate each figure based on current and projected future costs.
FAQs for Sterling Heights Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Do I need a medical professional to support my case before I file?
Yes, Michigan law requires an affidavit of merit from a qualified medical professional before you file a malpractice lawsuit.
That professional must meet specific qualification requirements related to the defendant provider’s area of practice. Your attorney typically identifies and retains the appropriate medical reviewer as part of case preparation.
What if the malpractice happened at a hospital outside Sterling Heights?
You may still work with a Sterling Heights medical malpractice attorney regardless of where the error occurred.
Michigan’s med mal statute applies statewide, and our attorneys handle claims arising from hospitals and medical facilities across Macomb County, Oakland County, Wayne County, and throughout Michigan. The location of our office does not limit where we file cases.
How long do medical malpractice cases take to resolve in Michigan?
Medical malpractice cases in Michigan typically take longer than other personal injury claims because of the mandatory 182-day notice period, the need for physician review, and the complexity of the medical evidence involved.
Many cases take one to three years from the initial consultation to resolution, depending on whether the case settles during negotiation or proceeds to trial in Macomb County Circuit Court or another jurisdiction.
What if a family member died because of a medical error?
You may have a wrongful death medical malpractice claim if a healthcare provider’s negligence caused or contributed to a family member’s death.
Michigan’s wrongful death statute (MCL 600.2922) allows certain family members to file a claim for lost financial support, medical expenses, funeral costs, and loss of companionship. The same procedural requirements for notice of intent and affidavit of merit apply to wrongful death med mal cases.
How do I know if what happened to me was actually malpractice?
Not every bad medical outcome is malpractice. A medical error becomes malpractice when a healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care and that failure directly causes injury.
If your condition worsened after treatment, if a diagnosis came late without a clear reason, or if a surgery produced an unexpected complication, a medical malpractice attorney in Sterling Heights, MI may review you r records and give you a direct answer about whether a claim exists.
How much does it cost to hire a medical malpractice attorney?
Goodman Acker takes medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney fees up front, and we only collect a fee if we recover compensation for you.
We also cover the cost of medical record retrieval and physician consultations during the case. If the case does not produce a recovery, you owe no attorney fees for our time.
What if the doctor says the complication was a known risk?
Known risks documented in an informed consent form do not automatically protect the provider. Informed consent covers the risks of a properly performed procedure, not the risks of a provider’s negligence.
If the complication resulted from a deviation in care rather than a recognized risk of the treatment itself, you may still have a valid malpractice claim.
Contact a Sterling Heights Medical Malpractice Lawyer Before Your Deadline Passes
Michigan’s procedural requirements for med mal claims create a timeline that moves faster than most patients expect. Between the notice of intent, the affidavit of merit, and the two-year statute of limitations, the window for filing a valid claim narrows with each month that passes.
Our attorneys review medical records, consult with physicians in the relevant specialty, and handle every procedural requirement from our Sterling Heights office at 13854 Lakeside Circle.
We take these cases on a contingency fee basis, and every consultation begins with an honest look at whether the facts support a claim.
Call 248-483-5000 to discuss your situation with a medical malpractice attorney who handles these cases in Macomb County and across Michigan.
LEGALLY REVIEWED BY BARRY J. GOODMAN
Barry J. Goodman has devoted his professional life to keeping courthouse doors open for victims seeking justice. Always a tireless advocate for his own clients, Goodman sees his responsibility as a Detroit personal injury attorney in a broader sense as well. [ Attorney Bio ]
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