Meet Caiti Hill - The First Call at Buchanan Firm and Why It Matters
When someone in West Michigan picks up the phone after a medical procedure goes wrong, a loved one dies unexpectedly, or a crash leaves them with injuries they are still trying to understand — Caiti Hill is usually the first voice they hear.
She lives in Lowell, twelve minutes from her dad in Caledonia. Her mom has been a nurse and paramedic her entire life. Caiti trained as a medical assistant after high school, moved back to Michigan from California when her daughter was ten months old, landed in a collection law firm out of necessity, and worked her way from the mail room to paralegal over six years. Debt collection, in her words, is “probably the most boring type of law that exists.” When she found a role that put the medical and the legal in the same job, she applied. She has been at Buchanan Firm in Ada for eight years.
That background is not incidental. When a caller describes a surgery that went sideways, a dismissal that turned fatal, or an injury nobody seems to take seriously, Caiti is not just listening for the story. She is listening for what the story is missing. Eight years of medical malpractice intake, combined with a lifetime of medical fluency, means she often knows within a single call whether something is worth investigating further — and what it will take to prove it.
Nobody calls Buchanan Firm with good news. Caiti knows that. It shapes everything about how she answers.
Caiti Hill
Legal Intake Specialist
How Does Caiti Decide Whether a Case Is Worth Pursuing?
It starts with the injury. A catastrophic physical injury caused by a medical error or negligence is the baseline requirement. Emotional trauma, PTSD, and anxiety are real — but on their own they often are not enough to pursue a case. She is direct about this with every caller.
From there the same three-part test applies across vehicle accidents and medical malpractice cases alike: was there negligence, did that negligence cause the injury, and is the injury significant enough to pursue? All three have to hold.
Age is a factor most people do not expect to hear about. Cases involving patients in their seventies or older — who are no longer working and have limited economic loss — are harder to build financially. She brings those to Rob anyway, because she wants to provide potential clients with a thorough evaluation.
Michigan’s two-year statute of limitations on medical malpractice claims means she is always tracking timing. She never lets a client sit in a waiting period so long that their window to seek another attorney closes.
She also investigates. Before a client is signed up, Caiti looks them up. Social media, public records, criminal history. Not to judge — because whatever she can find, a defense attorney’s team will find too. She wants every skeleton accounted for before the other side gets there first.
What Patterns Does Caiti See in the Calls Buchanan Receives?
After eight years of medical malpractice intake, certain procedures come up on repeat. The three Caiti hears about most:
- Cataract surgery — significant vision loss post-procedure
- Hip replacements — one leg comes out measurably longer than the other, throwing off gait and creating chronic back problems
- Knee surgeries — hardware infections that require the implant to be removed, a spacer put in, and the entire procedure repeated a year later
On wrongful death calls, the biggest mistake families make is not pursuing a private autopsy when the hospital refuses to perform one. It costs $3,000 to $5,000 and not everyone has that available right after losing someone — but in cases where the cause of death is unclear, it is often the only way to establish what actually happened.
What Should You Know Before You Call Buchanan Firm?
The consultation is free. The medical record review is free. Even if the firm does not take your case, you will not be charged anything for the time Caiti or the team spent listening, researching, or reviewing what happened.
Be honest about your history. Caiti is not there to judge — she has heard everything. But she needs the full picture because the defense will go looking for it regardless. Whatever she can find, they can find. Knowing the skeletons before the other side does is how the firm protects the cases it takes.
Do not underplay your injuries. Adrenaline at the scene of an accident masks what actually happened. What feels manageable in the moment can present very differently 48 hours later — and a gap in your medical record is exactly what an insurance company will use against you.
If someone you love died and the hospital will not explain why, consider a private autopsy before time runs out. They run $3,000 to $5,000 and not everyone has that available right after a loss. But in wrongful death cases where the cause is unclear, it is often the only way to establish what actually happened.
When you are ready, Caiti is the first call. She will listen, give you a real answer, and tell you honestly where you stand.
FAQ: Caiti Hill — Legal Intake Specialist
What does a legal intake specialist do at a law firm?
A legal intake specialist is the first point of contact for potential clients. At Buchanan Firm, Caiti listens to the full story, evaluates whether the three core elements of a case are present, investigates the client’s background, and determines whether the matter is worth pursuing.
Is the initial consultation at Buchanan Firm free?
Yes. The consultation is free, and so is the medical record review — even if the firm ultimately does not take the case. You will not be charged anything upfront at any stage of the initial evaluation process.
How does Buchanan Firm decide whether to take a medical malpractice case?
Every case is evaluated against three requirements: negligence, causation, and significant injury. All three must be present. Michigan medical malpractice cases also carry a two-year statute of limitations, so timing is assessed on every call.
What qualifies as a viable personal injury case in Michigan?
A catastrophic physical injury caused by a provable act of negligence that directly resulted in significant harm. The injury must be serious enough that pursuing the case — which can cost up to $100,000 to build — makes financial sense for the client.
What should I do if I think a loved one died due to medical error?
Call as soon as possible. If the hospital has refused to perform an autopsy and the cause of death is unclear, a private autopsy may be critical to establishing what happened. They typically cost $3,000 to $5,000. Michigan’s statute of limitations means time matters — do not wait.
What is Caiti Hill's background and experience?
Caiti trained as a medical assistant, spent six years at a collection law firm working her way from the mail room to paralegal, and has been Buchanan Firm’s legal intake specialist for eight years. She is also a member of a medical field family — her mother has been a nurse and paramedic her entire career. That combination of medical fluency and legal experience is what she brings to every call.
Tell Us Your Story
Caiti answers the phone. She listens to the whole story. And she gives you a real answer about where you stand — not a form response, sometimes a referral, never a generic decline.
If something happened and you are not sure what you have, that question deserves a real conversation.
Tell Us Your Story — the call is free, the review is free, and you will leave knowing exactly where things stand.