Best Medical Malpractice Attorney in Flint
Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Flint, Michigan
If you’re searching for the best medical malpractice attorney in Flint, Michigan, seek the counsel of Cochran, Kroll & Associates P.C. Not only do we offer free case evaluations, but we don’t charge you a dime until we’ve won your case for you. Here are the steps you can go through to attain the highest quality, compassionate, and skilled legal help for your medical malpractice incident.
Call: 1-866-MICH-LAW | Get a Free Consultation
Key Takeaways
- Michigan requires a Notice of Intent (NOI) to be filed at least 182 days before a medical malpractice lawsuit can begin, a step most patients do not know about (MCL 600.2912b).
- The statute of limitations for Michigan medical malpractice is generally 2 years from the act or omission, or 6 months from when the injury was or should have been discovered, whichever is later (MCL 600.5838a).
- A qualified medical expert must review the case and sign an Affidavit of Merit that is filed with the lawsuit (MCL 600.2912d).
- Michigan caps noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases, and the cap adjusts each year; for 2025, the lower cap is about $586,30,0 and the higher cap for the most serious injuries is about $1,047,000 (MCL 600.1483).
- Hurley Medical Center and McLaren Flint are the primary hospitals where Flint-area malpractice claims originate.
- Common case types include surgical errors, misdiagnosis, medication errors, birth injuries, anesthesia errors, and emergency room negligence.
- Cochran, Kroll & Associates has a Flint office and handles medical malpractice cases on contingency, with no fee unless we win.
- Call 1-866-MICH-LAW for a free, confidential case evaluation.
Understand there may be a malpractice issue that you’re not aware of
Were you injured or harmed during a medical proceeding, but aren’t sure if you have a case?
There can be many causes of medical malpractice; the patient may not even be aware of the cause or the exact moment of malpractice. If a patient was unconscious or paralyzed during the event, they would have no way of knowing what happened. Additionally, during a stressful incident, such as an operating room or emergency incident, issues relating to incompetence, negligence, or malpractice often slip through the cracks unnoticed.
However, this does not disqualify you from pursuing justice. For a free case evaluation, contact Cochran, Kroll & Associates P.C. today.
Eileen Kroll: our registered nurse
As a registered nurse, Eileen Kroll is ideally situated to help you uncover the truth of your medical proceeding. With her medical background, she is well-versed in understanding medical records. She can sift through medical data to reconstruct an accurate, precise timeline of events.
In turn, this timeline helps you, the plaintiff, understand what happened to you or your loved one. This timeline can inform you as to what happened when it happened, and what should have happened. This knowledge is power in your fight for justice.
After your free case evaluation, Eileen Kroll can help you piece together this timeline and answer any questions you may have. Having Eileen, a skilled medical malpractice attorney at your side allows you to step back, take a deep breath, and focus on healing after your traumatic incident. Together, you can build a case without the financial obligation of paying unless you win compensation in court.
Why Flint Families Trust Cochran Law Firm for Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice is one of the hardest kinds of cases to prove, so who you hire matters. Here is what sets our firm apart for a Flint claim.
Decades of Michigan Medical Malpractice Experience
Our firm has spent decades handling serious injury and malpractice claims across Michigan. Partner Terry L. Cochran is recognized by Super Lawyers, rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, and rated on Avvo, and partner Eileen E. Kroll holds a Martindale-Hubbell Preeminent rating and a Client Champion award. Our published results include multi-million-dollar medical malpractice recoveries.
A Real Office in Flint
We keep an office at 432 North Saginaw Street, Suite 445, in downtown Flint, so Genesee County families are not sent to metro Detroit to be heard. When an injury makes travel difficult, we can arrange home and hospital visits.
No Fee Unless We Win
We handle medical malpractice claims on a contingency fee basis at the standard Michigan rate of one-third. There are no upfront costs, and you owe no attorney fee unless we recover for you.
We Work With Medical Experts From Day One
Michigan requires a qualified medical expert to review a malpractice claim and sign an Affidavit of Merit before the lawsuit is filed. We engage qualified medical professionals early to evaluate the standard of care, which is one reason these cases need attorney involvement from the very start.
Free 24/7 Case Evaluation
The first conversation is free, confidential, and available any time, with no obligation. Partner Eileen Kroll, a registered nurse and attorney, personally reviews the medical records to reconstruct what happened.
The Michigan Notice of Intent Requirement: The Step Most Patients Miss
Michigan medical malpractice has a procedural requirement that catches many families off guard, and missing it can end a valid claim before it starts. Understanding it early is often the difference between a case that proceeds and one that is time-barred.
What the NOI Is and Why Michigan Requires It
Before filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, Michigan law (MCL 600.2912b) requires you to send a formal written Notice of Intent to every healthcare provider and facility you intend to sue. The notice has to spell out specific details, including the standard of care you believe applied, how it was breached, and how that breach caused your injury. The purpose is to give the provider a chance to investigate and respond before litigation begins.
The 182-Day Waiting Period
After the Notice of Intent is sent, you generally must wait 182 days before filing the lawsuit. During that window, the provider must allow access to relevant medical records within 56 days and give a written response within 154 days. Filing the NOI also tolls, or pauses, the statute of limitations while that waiting period runs. The table below shows how the timeline typically unfolds.
| Step |
What Happens |
Deadline / Duration |
| 1. Injury occurs |
The act or omission that causes harm; the clock on your deadlines begins |
Statute of limitations starts to run |
| 2. Notice of Intent filed |
A formal written NOI is sent to each provider and facility within the statute of limitations |
Must precede the lawsuit by 182 days |
| 3. 182-day waiting period |
You wait before filing; the provider must produce records within 56 days and respond within 154 days |
182 days (records within 56, response within 154) |
| 4. Affidavit of Merit prepared |
A qualified medical expert reviews the records and signs the affidavit |
Before or with the complaint |
| 5. Lawsuit filed |
The complaint and Affidavit of Merit are filed once the waiting period has run |
After the 182-day period |
The Affidavit of Merit Requirement
Under MCL 600.2912d, the complaint in a medical malpractice case must be filed with an Affidavit of Merit signed by a qualified health professional, generally someone in the same specialty as the defendant. That expert must attest that the provider breached the applicable standard of care and that the breach caused the injury. Without a proper affidavit, the case can be dismissed, which is another reason these claims require an attorney and a medical expert from day one.
Types of medical malpractice incidents
Your case might fall into one of the following categories:
Additionally, Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. boasts a background in vehicle accidents, dog bite injuries, product malfunctions, and workplace injuries. We are extremely skilled in dealing with cases that require equal parts tenacity and compassion. As top personal injury attorneys as well as medical malpractice attorney, we are here to help you along this journey.
Types of Medical Malpractice Cases We Handle in Flint
Malpractice can happen anywhere care is delivered, but in the Flint area most claims trace back to a handful of settings and error types. The table below shows the categories we see most often and where they tend to arise locally.
| Type |
What It Involves |
Common Flint Setting |
| Surgical errors |
Wrong-site surgery, retained instruments, or nerve damage during a procedure |
Operating rooms at Hurley Medical Center and McLaren Flint |
| Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis |
Missed or late diagnosis of cancer, heart attack, stroke, or appendicitis |
Emergency rooms and primary care |
| Medication errors |
Wrong drug, wrong dose, or a dangerous interaction that is missed |
Hospital pharmacy and nursing floors |
| Birth injuries |
Oxygen deprivation, brachial plexus injury, or trauma during delivery |
Labor and delivery units |
| Anesthesia errors |
Dosing mistakes or a failure to monitor a patient under anesthesia |
Surgical suites |
| Emergency room negligence |
Failure to diagnose, treat, or stabilize a patient in time |
Hurley and McLaren emergency departments |
Surgical Errors at Flint Hospitals
Surgical mistakes include wrong-site surgery, instruments left inside the body, and avoidable nerve damage. Hurley Medical Center, a level-one trauma center, and McLaren Flint are the primary surgical facilities in the area.
Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis
A missed or delayed diagnosis of cancer, a heart attack, a stroke, or appendicitis can turn a treatable condition into a catastrophic one. Delayed diagnosis is among the most common malpractice claim types in Michigan.
Birth Injuries
Cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injuries, and oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery can cause lifelong harm. These claims often originate in the labor and delivery units at Hurley or McLaren.
Filing Deadlines for Flint Medical Malpractice Claims
Michigan’s malpractice deadlines are strict, and more than one clock can apply at once. The table below summarizes the key ones.
| Deadline |
Statute |
What It Covers |
| 2-year statute of limitations |
MCL 600.5805 / 600.5838a |
The general deadline, measured from the date of the act or omission |
| 6-month discovery rule |
MCL 600.5838a |
Allows filing within 6 months of discovering the claim, if that is later than the 2-year date |
| 182-day NOI waiting period |
MCL 600.2912b |
The mandatory notice period that runs before suit and tolls the statute |
| 6-year outer limit |
MCL 600.5838a |
An absolute limit beyond which most claims cannot be filed, with limited exceptions |
The 2-Year General Deadline
Most Michigan malpractice claims must be filed within two years of the act or omission. That period can be extended by the six-month discovery rule when the injury was not reasonably discoverable at the time.
The 6-Year Absolute Outer Limit
Regardless of when an injury is discovered, most claims cannot be filed more than six years after the act or omission. Narrow exceptions exist, such as a foreign object left in the body or fraudulent concealment.
Why the NOI Waiting Period Makes Early Action Critical
The 182-day NOI wait runs inside the two-year statute, not on top of it. A family that waits 18 months to call an attorney may not have enough time left to send the NOI, wait out the notice period, prepare the Affidavit of Merit, and still file the lawsuit before the deadline. That is the practical reason to act early.
Compensation in a Flint Medical Malpractice Case
Michigan recognizes two categories of damages in a malpractice claim, and one of them is capped by statute.
Economic Damages
Economic damages cover measurable financial losses: past and future medical bills, lost wages, lost earning capacity, the cost of ongoing care and rehabilitation, and home modifications made necessary by a disabling injury. These are not capped.
Noneconomic Damages (Capped in Michigan)
Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, and loss of consortium. Michigan caps these damages in malpractice cases under MCL 600.1483, and the cap is adjusted every year. For 2025, the lower cap is about $586,300, and a higher cap of about $1,047,000 applies to the most serious injuries, such as permanent functional loss from a brain or spinal cord injury.
Contact Our Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Flint
If you or a loved one was harmed by a medical error in Flint, you may have a claim, but Michigan’s procedural rules and deadlines move quickly. The right approach often depends on the medical records, the standard of care, and how much time remains under the statute.
Contact us at Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. for a free consultation. We’ll review your case, explain your options, and map out the strongest path forward. Remember, we don’t get paid unless you win.
Call us at 1-866-MICH-LAW anytime, 24/7, to schedule a free case evaluation
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a medical malpractice claim in Flint?
Generally, two years from the act or omission, or six months from when you discovered or should have discovered the injury, whichever is later. Because the 182-day Notice of Intent period runs inside that window, it is best to consult an attorney early.
What is the Notice of Intent requirement?
Under MCL 600.2912b, you must send a formal written Notice of Intent to each provider and facility you intend to sue, at least 182 days before filing the lawsuit. The notice describes the alleged malpractice and gives the provider a chance to respond.
Does Michigan cap medical malpractice damages?
Yes, for noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering. Under MCL 600.1483, the cap adjusts annually; for 2025, it is about $586,300 in most cases and about $1,047,000 for the most serious injuries. Economic damages, such as medical bills and lost wages, are not capped.
How much does a medical malpractice lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. We work on a contingency fee basis, so there is no attorney fee unless we win your case, and we advance the case costs.
Can I sue a hospital directly or only the doctor?
Often both. A hospital can be liable for its employees under vicarious liability, and directly liable for negligent credentialing or institutional negligence, in addition to any claim against the individual provider.
What if my family member died from medical malpractice?
You may have a wrongful death claim under MCL 600.2922. These claims follow their own procedures and deadlines, so it is important to speak with an attorney promptly.
