Your Guide to Medical Malpractice Claims: Chapter 6

Steps to Pursue If You or a Loved One Has Been Injured

If you or a loved one has been injured and you suspect medical malpractice as the cause, you may feel overwhelmed and unsure of what action to take.

Caring for a loved one or trying to recover from an unexpected outcome can be time-consuming and psychologically challenging. Financial stress may add a burden that feels like too much to bear.

If you are considering legal action, the steps below will help you understand what records are needed to take legal action or to determine whether or not you or your family may be entitled to compensation.

Document Everything Having to Do With Your Malpractice Case

As soon as you suspect anything out of the ordinary, or for any major medical situations in general, it is best to document everything. It is best to document all information whenever you have any medical procedure, but especially important if you suspect medical malpractice.

Collect all the medical bills you have received and note all conversations you have had with medical facilities and insurance providers. Start a journal. Document the dates and times of each appointment and record what takes place during each one. Make notes about each conversation — what tests were ordered and so on. Note all of your symptoms. Track everything in as much detail as possible.

Then, request your records. You have the right at all times to obtain your medical records. You can submit a formal request, or your attorney can do this on your behalf.

Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney

Most importantly, do not wait to contact an attorney. You will want to contact a firm with medical malpractice lawyers, such as KGB Injury Law, and set up a consultation. You should act as soon as possible because the statute of limitations surrounding medical malpractice claims could play a factor in your case.

Be open with your attorney and honest about your condition. Explain all steps that took place during your ordeal. Listen to the medical malpractice attorney’s opinions.

Your lawyer will provide guidance on the next steps for your case and will do the necessary research to determine whether there is the potential for a malpractice case or not.

Request a Free Consultation

You must trust your attorney — this is absolutely critical — before proceeding as advised. For a productive lawyer-client relationship, keep these tips in mind:

• Be open.
• Communicate in detail and in a timely manner.
• Get as involved in the process as your attorney needs you to be.

Each case varies as each situation is different. What happens will vary from one individual to another, based on the information you have provided.