Medical malpractice cases tend to involve legal concerns, including causation and quality of practice. They also tend to be hazardous, arduous, and very time-consuming.
When you ask your doctor for help you are essentially putting your full trust in them to help you and/or save your life.
Given their expertise and knowledge, you have every right to seek justice in the event that their ineptitude and/or negligence led to great mental, physical, emotional, and/or financial harm to you and your loved ones.
Here, we will go
over all of the prerequisites for filing a medical malpractice claim against
your doctor or surgeon.
What Exactly is Malpractice in Medicine?
If you are a victim of medical malpractice then you have the right to obtain justice. Medical malpractice may occur if your healthcare provider or practitioner provides substandard care, fails to take the appropriate action, and/or fails to offer sufficient treatment.
If their actions, or lack thereof, lead to mental anguish, physical injury, and/or death then you may be able to seek compensation.
To illustrate, imagine a scenario where your doctor provides you with medications that cause severe allergic reactions that require you to take time off from work.
Or, your doctor may have improperly monitored the heartbeat of your unborn child during your delivery, which may have led to complications that caused permanent damage to your baby.
Another possible cause may involve a grievous error in measuring the amount of anesthetic required by a patient during an operation, leading to permanent brain damage or death.
How do I Make a Claim For Medical Malpractice?
If you would like to file medical malpractice negligence against a healthcare worker, professional, or doctor, you may have to go through several steps that are unique to the specific claim that you wish to file.
The requirements
should be evaluated by a medical professional that is certified in such
matters. A pre-lawsuit panel for your claim may be involved, so all pertinent
requirements and documentation will need to be presented and evaluated
posthaste.
What Documents Do I Require in a Medical Malpractice Case?
You will need medical records to begin building your case. You will need records of the negligent care, as well as records of the treatments that were provided afterwards as well.
As a patient, you are legally entitled to your records, although you must request them from your medical facility or doctor.
You should also keep records of all of your medical bills. If you were injured as a result of medical malpractice then you should be reimbursed for all of your medical expenses.
If your medical treatments were paid for by Medicaid, Medicare, or by a health insurer then all bills, as well as explanations of benefits, will be sent to you. You should keep copies of all such correspondence, as they will serve as proof as to what has been paid for and by whom.
Provide all Medicaid, Medicare, and insurance correspondence to your attorney, as they may be subject to subrogation/repayment.
If a loved one passed away due to medical malpractice then you should provide your lawyer with their death certificate.
A wrongful death case should never be taken lightly, and you should also obtain and submit a copy of the autopsy report in the event that an autopsy was conducted after your loved one passed.
Any and all correspondence with your insurer or doctor should also be kept. Written allegations and correspondence with your doctor that concern your injuries and medical care should be preserved.
Any receipts for out-of-pocket expenses should also be saved and sent to your attorney. Many expenses that are related to medical care are actually not included as part of a patient’s billing record.
Expenses may include medical equipment, over-the-counter drugs, as well as prescription drugs that you need to pay for out-of-pocket.
Any evidence of lost income must also be submitted as soon as possible. If you have suffered a serious injury as a result of medical malpractice then you may not be able to work, either temporarily or permanently.
You may be able to receive compensation for lost earning capacity and income. However, you must submit the necessary documentary evidence in order to qualify. Tax returns and pay stubs that establish your pre-injury income should be sent to your attorney in the briefest delay.
Pre and post-injury photographs should
also be submitted to your attorney. The photos will not only personalize your
case but will further illustrate the pain and suffering that you have endured
as a result of your doctor’s medical malpractice.
How do I Find the Best Medical Malpractice Lawyer?
When you are looking for a quality medical malpractice lawyer you need to research the foundations of the attorney that you are thinking of hiring. The lawyer that you choose must have an extensive background in handling medical malpractice suits.
They must have a proven track record of success and must be transparent throughout every step. Not all lawyers are created equal. Hiring an expert that has won many cases that are similar to yours will increase the likelihood of success.
The first step in launching a malpractice case is the filing and preparation of the complaint in a civil court in your area. Your complaint serves as a declaration of the charges that are levelled against the hospital, clinic, and/or doctor that wronged you.
You will need to gather as much evidence as possible in order to showcase the culpability of the parties that harmed you.
Your claim must also be filed on time in order to have a chance of winning your case. If you fail to file your claim within the deadline then you may not be allowed to claim for damages in the future.
Hiring a medical malpractice lawyer to help you with your case will ensure that all the necessary documents and evidence are gathered, evaluated, and filed on time.
Jessica
Coates is a blogger in Toronto. She graduated with honors from the University
of British Columbia with a dual degree in Business Administration and Creative
Writing. Jessica Coates is a community manager for small businesses across
Canada. When not working, she leisurely studies economics, history, law
and business solutions.