What to Do if You Suffered Medical Malpractice
If you or a family member suffered medical malpractice, you have every right to file a lawsuit and expect a cash settlement to ease your pain and suffering. Knowing the steps to take if you or a family member has been the victim of malpractice can help you navigate the complicated process of filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. Anyone suffering needless pain resulting from carelessness or mistakes during a medical procedure has been the victim of medical malpractice. According to a report from the National Practitioner Data Bank, total malpractice payouts in 2011 totaled around $3.7 billion. Don’t let the money you deserve for your needless suffering slip away – follow these four tips to make sure you receive your cash from a lawsuit.
Contact an Attorney
Malpractice suits can be complicated, and are often tough to prove. That’s why the first and most important tip is to contact a qualified, licensed attorney who specializes in malpractice to represent your case.
Don’t confront the medical care provider about malpractice until you’ve spoken with an attorney. The less they know about your malpractice suit, the better. Don’t sign any waivers or admit responsibility, don’t continue to receive care from the provider you suspect of malpractice, and don’t discuss the suit with anyone outside of your immediate family and attorney. When gathering records, don’t tell hospital staff that it is for your attorney – rather, tell them it is for insurance purposes.
Obtain Certified Copies of Medical Records
As a patient, you have a right to see all your medical records relating to your treatment. Gathering this documentation and ensuring that it is certified is a vital step in gathering evidence to support your case.
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Keep a Diary of Verbal Exchanges and Doctor’s Orders, and a Timeline of Events
Keeping the order of events correct in your own mind is essential to building a good case. Noting the things your doctor or surgeon told you to do, said, or did can help organize the malpractice event in your own mind so you can build a case with your attorney.
Get a Second Opinion From a Qualified Doctor
Seek, obtain, and write down the second opinion, but do not discuss your malpractice suit with the second doctor.
If you follow these five steps, you will be on the right path to putting together a solid case for medical malpractice. This will not only ensure that the medical care provider who mistreated you will be held accountable, but also that you will get the cash from the lawsuit you deserve to help you deal with the pain and suffering caused by medical malpractice.
Jake Alexander is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites. Follow him @JakeAlexander17.
