When patients go to the doctor, they do it because they are experiencing some health issue and need help, either in the form of treatment, or at least some beneficial advice. It’s safe to say that they are putting all their trust in the hands of their healthcare provider.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll be provided with all the help they need. Sometimes patients are not being treated the way they’re supposed to be, which leads to medical negligence and malpractice.
And that’s for sure far from a pleasant experience. But what can you do in these types of situations? Are there any steps that you can take? Luckily, there are, and below, we’ll tell you exactly what to do.
Useful Tips To Deal With The Aftermath Of Medical Negligence
Contact The Responsible Physician
This is definitely the most obvious and logical step and something that you must do immediately. A doctor who is responsible for your current poor situation must be notified so you can figure out exactly what happened that led to this outcome.
Additionally, you can also ask for remedial alternatives from the healthcare professional before you make any further steps regarding the charges against him or her. Fortunately, there are a lot of physicians out there who are willing to make up for all the errors they’ve made.
In these situations, they may decide to offer you some services free of charge because they want to settle this problem without involving anyone from the “legal side”. Many patients decide to accept this if they are not in the mood to take any legal actions.
Contact A Good Lawyer
Now, if you’re one of those people who is not willing to give a second chance, but rather proceed with legal actions, then it’s time to find yourself a high-quality attorney. There are many great solicitors out there, but what matters is that you find someone who has a plethora of experience with cases like yours.
What does it mean? For example, if you were pregnant, and your baby was mistreated before, during, or after childbirth, then you must contact a birth injury lawyer who is going to listen to everything you have to say, regarding the treatment of both you and your newborn. If this expert is dedicated and skilled enough, he/she will help you and your baby get the justice you deserve.
Remember There’s The Deadline For Filing A Claim
This is something that your advocate will probably tell you, but we wanted to remind you as well. Keep in mind that deadlines are essential when filing a medical malpractice claim. In fact, every civil claim has time limits.
Furthermore, when it comes to your medical malpractice case, you have to take into account the date when you’ve experienced the negligence as the starting date. In case you do not file a claim within the time limit, you may lose the right to get any compensation for your injuries.
But as it was mentioned previously, this is something that your lawyer will probably tell you, just so you can properly get yourself familiar with the statutes of limitation in your state. Just be very mindful and do not waste your time, otherwise, you won’t get anything.
Collect Patient Records
Namely, it’s of huge importance to properly organize and gather all essential paperwork that is going to play a key role during the litigation process. Remember that you are not permitted to change any documents or records because it is going to make things a lot more complicated after.
How come? Well, it’s because these actions can be perceived as tampering which will definitely compromise your trustworthiness and reliability. All you have to do is to make sure you’ve gotten all your documents and records prepared.
They must be kept somewhere safe so you do not lose anything. Once you collect everything, be sure to give it to your lawyer as quickly as you can because he or she will need it to build your case the right way.
Lawsuits Take Time
This is important to remember because malpractice lawsuits can generally be prolonged, hence, it’s extremely crucial to be patient and trust your advocate. Furthermore, they can take up to five years and during that period of time, you will probably deal with mood swings and mixed emotions, but that’s completely fine.
Medical malpractice of any type is certainly extremely stressful and can take a toll on everyone. But that’s precisely why you have to carefully read everything that’s been stated here, so you can go through it smoothly and come out as a winner.