6 Next Steps Following a Medical Malpractice

If you even suspect that there has been a mistake in your medical care, there are a few things that you must do as soon as possible in order to protect yourself and ensure that you get the settlement that you’re entitled to. Medical malpractice is sadly very common and we will work hard until you have found the compensation that you deserve.

1. Get another doctor

Your number one priority is your health. If you are not confident in your own doctor’s ability to treat you, or you are aware of a mistake that they have made, it is time for a change. Your doctor will probably need to take a long look at your medical history so be patient. They may order tests that you have already had done and while this can be frustrating, you should rest assured now you are being cared for the right way. The doctor you are now dealing with will want to make sure that any damage that has been done can be treated and any misdiagnoses can be examined again.

2. You’re going to need a copy of your medical records

These records are going to be very important to your malpractice case. It is very important that you get a copy of these as fast as you can. These medical records will include everything from the tests performed, the symptoms you had at every visit, the meds prescribed and a lot of other very valuable information.

This can be essential to building a case around symptoms that we ignored, tests that were not performed, or any other form of negligence that has led to your present condition. You should always ask for these records before you have filed your medical malpractice claim. It is completely against the law to falsify any records, but it can and does happen.

3. Make notes

You should make your own records of your visits to the doctor’s office. You should note down the symptoms you describe and the action that the doctor took in response. It is also important to keep track of how the decline in your health has affected you personally. This can go a long way to establishing the amount of compensation that you are owed.

4. Contact a professional

This type of legal case is extremely complicated. You will need to get an expert legal team to handle your case if you are to have any chance of winning. You should meet with the lawyer for a consultation so that you can get a feel for them. Make sure you check them out online to see what their previous clients have to say.

You should take all of your notes to this first consultation as your lawyer will probably have a lot of questions so that they are able to get a full handle on your specific needs.

5. Don’t contact your former doctor directly

Your lawyer should be the only one who contacts any other parties related to the case. By speaking with your medical malpractice lawyer before you do anything else, they will be able to help you with the best practices on how you should be preparing and dealing with your former doctor.

6. Get support from your family and friends

You will want to be around those that you trust at this time. By getting in touch with a family member or a friend that you want to speak to and talk over what has happened to you. This will be a very stressful time and you should make sure that you have the support you need ready to help you through this.