What You Should Do if You Suspect Medical Malpractice

Doctors and other medical professionals can, and often do, make mistakes. Unfortunately, due to the nature of their job, these mistakes can lead to pain, serious injury, and even death. A study conducted by Johns Hopkins found that medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in the United States, killing an estimated 150,000 people annually.

Despite how common medical malpractice is, navigating a malpractice suit is difficult. If you suspect medical malpractice in your or your loved one’s care, it is important to do the following:

Request All Medical Records

Request copies of all of your medical records. These records can be vital to your medical malpractice case. They may contain the information regarding your symptoms at the time of your visit, your medical history, what labs and tests were performed, and even what medicines were prescribed to you. This information may be evidence that your physician committed medical malpractice. It may also help an attorney evaluate your potential malpractice claim.

Contact the Experienced Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Sandoval & James

You should also consider contacting a medical malpractice attorney as soon as you suspect malpractice may have been committed. Certain Texas laws limit the time during which you may bring a medical malpractice claim. Moreover, preparing a medical malpractice suit takes time. When discussing your case with the team at Sandoval & James, make sure to provide as many details as possible. You do not want to leave out any information – even if you consider it insignificant.

Document Your Experience

In addition to requesting official medical records, you should document your own experience through a journal and accompany it with photographs or video evidence. By keeping track of your health, including the pain you are suffering and the effect the malpractice has had on your life, these things may help you to better recall your symptoms and injuries, should it be necessary for your case.

What to Avoid

While it is wise to be proactive with your medical malpractice suit, beware of egregious errors that will inhibit your efforts. If possible, avoid doing the following, unless otherwise advised by your representation:

Avoid Contacting Your Provider

Unless it is necessary for your health or ongoing treatment, it is better to avoid contact with the medical provider who committed malpractice. Reaching out or contacting potential defendants – or their attorneys – through writing, in-person meetings, phone, text, or email can negatively impact your case. Leave all communication to the experienced team of attorneys at Sandoval & James.

Do Not Post on Social Media

Any post you make on social media regarding you or a loved one’s medical treatment can be used against you in your case. Even if your account is set to private, the medical provider (who committed malpractice) and their insurance company may still be able to access your posts. If so, they may try to use them to discredit your claim.

Do Not Sign Anything Related to Your Case

You may be pressured to sign various forms of documentation when medical malpractice is suspected. We recommend you do not do so until we have had the opportunity to review the documents.

Medical malpractice suits can be tricky to navigate. Finding the right representation to guide you throughout the process and get you the best possible results is critical. While financial compensation may not make you whole after medical malpractice has been committed, it may relieve other burdens while you work to recover. If you suspect medical malpractice, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of trained, reputable medical malpractice lawyers in Austin, Texas today. Initial consultations are completely free.

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