Unfortunately, not all medical procedures or examinations go according to plan. Although some mistakes are made without ill-intent, there are going to be times when the mistake could have been prevented. In this situation, you as the patient have grounds to file a lawsuit against the hospital for medical malpractice. However, because this is something that you may not have experienced in the past, the legal process can understandably be difficult to understand. Thus, the following includes four steps for handling your medical malpractice case.
Contact an Attorney ASAP
These types of injuries can understandably be emotionally and physically painful. You may even want to take some time to rest and think things over. Although this is fine to do, it must be noted that you do not have an unlimited amount of time to file a lawsuit. Most statute of limitation laws only give you about two years to file. However, it is important to contact an attorney ASAP as you do not want records to go missing or doubt to set into the mind of the court.
Collect as Many Documents as Possible
Although hospitals are under the law not allowed to tamper with your medical records, the unfortunate fact is that potentially losing thousands or possibly millions of dollars can lead people to do unethical things. That is why it is important for you to collect as many of your medical records as possible.
Continue to Seek Medical Attention
No amount of money is worth your health. That is why it is incredibly important that you seek medical attention for your injuries as soon as possible. This is often a concern for people because they believe that fixing the injury will result in not having any evidence. That is simply not true and something even your medical malpractice lawyer will advise against. In fact, seeking medical attention from another physician will sometimes help in collecting further evidence for your attorney to use in court.
Keep a Written Record of Your Injuries
During this painful time of your life, so many things may be happening at once that it’s going to be difficult to keep track of everything. Attorneys often recommend that you keep a written record of everything that you are going through. This can be used to both keep track of your health but also to ensure that you do not forget events when the courts ask about them.
Medical malpractice cases can be lengthy and complex. That is why it is so important to ensure that you have been doing everything right since the very beginning. Utilize the information above to help you during your particular case.
Author information: Emma Sturgis is a freelance writer based out of Boston, MA. She writes most often on health and education. When not writing, she enjoys reading and watching film noir. Say hi on Twitter @EmmaSturgis2.
