Three Steps to Take If You Think You’ve Been A Victim of Medical Negligence
We get calls all the time from people who have had a negative experience with a healthcare provider and have lots of questions about what they should do next. Here are three steps that people should take when they think they are the victims of medical negligence.
Make sure that you continue to receive treatment for what ails you. If you went to see a doctor for frequent headaches, and you think the doctor was negligent in treating you, go to another doctor! Do not let a bad experience with a healthcare provider prevent you from getting the treatment you need. Go see another doctor because your health comes first!
Get a full set of your medical records from the healthcare provider you believe is negligent (see yesterday’s post on Using The HITECH Act to Get Your Medical Records Affordably). This is important for two reasons. First, any lawyer who you may consult about your case is going to want to review the medical records related to your care. Having these records will expedite the review by your attorney and her experts. Second, getting a set of your records before a lawyer is involved is important because sometimes healthcare providers have been known to alter medical records once they suspect they may be sued. If you get a copy of your medical records early on, they can be compared to records that are obtained during the lawsuit to see if changes or alterations were made.
Consult a qualified, medical malpractice lawyer. Medical negligence cases are complex and require a high level of expertise. You want to make sure you hire someone who does this kind of work every day, knows the law and knows what it takes to build a successful case. Getting the advice of such a lawyer early on is important, because there are deadlines in medical negligence cases and you want to make sure your lawsuit is not untimely.
Obviously, there are many other steps that need to be taken when you think you’ve been a victim of medical negligence, but these are three of the most important ones. If you think you might have been hurt by the negligence of a healthcare provider, please call the Warshauer Woodward Atkins for a free consultation.
