Medical malpractice is a serious public safety concern. Mistakes and negligence on the part of physicians and other medical professionals can have major consequences for their patients. Malpractice with verifiable consequences may provide the legal basis for a lawsuit against a physician or a medical facility.
How can patients who’ve experienced negative medical outcomes validate whether they’ve experienced malpractice or not?
Securing medical records
The first step in any medical malpractice investigation is typically a request for records. Patients have the right to request a complete copy of their medical records, although they may have to pay for the cost of printing those records.
Consulting with professionals
There are two types of professionals whose insight may be necessary in a medical malpractice scenario. The first is another medical professional.
Patients may need another, unaffiliated medical professional to review their records. They can help determine if a doctor committed a major mistake or failed to comply with current professional standards. The failure to follow best practices can leave a doctor open to malpractice allegations.
Patients also typically need to consult with an attorney to validate that they have adequate evidence to pursue a malpractice lawsuit. They may need support while quantifying the economic impact of the malpractice and gathering the documentation necessary to prepare for civil litigation.
Those who believe that doctors made preventable and significant errors leading to their harm may be able to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit. They need evidence of mistakes and also proof of the losses they sustained as a result, such as increased medical expenses. Reviewing medical records with a health care professional and then a lawyer could help patients hold physicians and medical facilities accountable for major mistakes that have resulted in economic and medical consequences.