If you go to a hospital or a doctor and you expect that you will receive treatment to improve your health, it can be shocking to find that your condition actually becomes worse instead of better. If your doctor misdiagnoses you, delays your diagnosis, or botches the treatments you receive, you could suffer serious adverse health outcomes.
When and if this happens to you, you need to consult with an Atlanta medical malpractice lawyer. You have rights, and it is important to understand what steps you need to take to protect those rights. An attorney can guide you through responding to the medical negligence that you have endured so you can hold the doctor, healthcare facility, and other caregivers accountable.
Steps to Take if You Suspect Medical Negligence in Atlanta
If you suspect that you or someone you love was the victim of medical negligence, you should:
- Go see another doctor.
You need to get on the path to recovery, which means getting proper treatment from a competent physician. Your new doctor can hopefully diagnose all of the problems caused by the original medical errors. Your doctor should also document any health ailments you are suffering from which may have been caused or exacerbated by the medical negligence that you experienced. Having evidence of the damage that your doctor did is very important to trying to get fair compensation for medical negligence.
- Obtain your medical records
You have the right to your medical records and to know what treatments your doctor did, and did not, provide. You can make a written request for your records and the hospital or care facility should give them to you. If you are not able to obtain your records, an attorney can help you.
- Talk with a medical malpractice lawyer
Your attorney can not only assist you in getting your medical records, but can also help you to take the right steps towards moving forward in making a malpractice claim.
- Have your records reviewed by an independent medical expert
If you are going to make a successful medical malpractice claim, you need a competent and skilled physician to be able to explain why the care you receive was substandard or fell short of the professional standard of care. Your attorney can help you to find an expert who can review your records.
- Consider making a malpractice claim for compensation
Doctors and caregivers are held to a professional standard of care and are supposed to provide you with high quality treatment. When your healthcare provider falls short, you deserve to be compensated for the financial loss that results as well as for your physical and emotional pain. Your attorney can help you to recover compensation through a negotiated settlement or a personal injury or wrongful death claim.
Have You Been The Victim Of Medical Malpractice?
If you or a loved one has been injured due to a medical error you need to speak with a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our office directly at (800) 234-9556 to schedule your free consultation.