When you finally realize that your pain and suffering has been the result of medical malpractice, the confusion and sadness that rushes over you can be overwhelming. However, it is in your best interest to conceal those emotions when dealing with that negligent doctor as you try to obtain evidence that can help your case. "Playing it cool" can help you exponentially in the long run.
If you believe that your doctor's negligent actions may have been medical malpractice, you should be careful of a few things as you build your case with your medical malpractice attorney:
- Don't call attention to the issue if you speak with your doctor or their staff. If you walk in the office and cause a big stink about what your doctor did, you are giving them a chance to plead their case and convince you that you are overreacting. You are also giving them a heads-up that you are probably going to be filing a malpractice lawsuit, and they may try to cover their tracks. Do not give your doctor the upper hand.
- Don't keep going to see your doctor. This may seem like a no-brainer, but if you suspect your doctor acted negligently, you shouldn't see him anymore. On top of exposing yourself to another possible malpractice risk, you are also hurting your case by showing that the issue was not serious enough to stop seeing the doctor entirely.
- Don't mention malpractice when requesting medical records. An important part of your medical malpractice case will be having detailed records from your doctor's office. If you mention that you are bringing the records to your lawyer, they may withhold certain information or edit your records to make their office look better. If they don't ask you why you're requesting your records, don't offer up any information. If they do ask, say they are for your own personal records.
The first thing you should do if you suspect that you are the victim of medical malpractice is to call an attorney immediately. Your attorney will be able to help you figure out what the next steps should be, as each case is obviously very different and requires special attention. If you experienced malpractice in Texas, Arkansas, or Oklahoma, call Girards Law for a free consultation at 888-897-2762.