Medical malpractice can change a person’s life forever. It can also have a significant impact on the lives of friends and family members who care for the person. A Tennessee personal injury attorney can help you build a case for medical malpractice if a medical error has injured you. However, there are also several things you can do to help your attorney with your claim.
Five Steps You Can Take to Help Build a Strong Medical Malpractice Case
1. Keep a Journal
If you believe you might be the victim of medical negligence, keeping a journal can help with a malpractice claim. Write down your symptoms; how the medical error has impacted your activities and quality of life; and the physical pain and emotional suffering you suffer each day. You may also want to gather copies of family pictures and videos from before and after the medical error. These items can help demonstrate how the medical malpractice has changed your life.
2. Document All Expenses and Losses
A large portion of your medical malpractice claim may be the financial losses you experience because of the medical mistake. Make sure that you keep copies of receipts, bills, invoices, and other evidence of payments for expenses related to medical malpractice. Expenses may include loss of income, personal care, medications, medical equipment, help with household chores, travel expenses, required modifications to your home, and costs of medical care.
3. Follow Your New Treatment Plan
Your new physician should provide a treatment plan based on your current health conditions. It is important for your health to follow the treatment plan. However, you also need to follow the new treatment plan to prevent further injury and to help document how the medical malpractice caused further injuries and damages.
4. Continue Gathering Information
Building a claim is partially based on gathering evidence. So, it helps to begin compiling information and documents as early your case as possible. Keep detailed records of your experience, including the names of all medical providers and what each medical provider told you. Retain copies of all documents provided to you by medical providers.
5. Locate Proof of Income
You must prove what your income was before your injury to substantiate a claim for loss of income or loss of earning capacity. Create a summary of your work history and educational background, including a copy of your current resume if you have one. Also, include any copies of your income tax records for the past few years as evidence of your income.
What to Avoid During a Medical Malpractice Case?
There are also several things you should avoid during your case because these things could hurt your claim:
- Posting or blogging about your case online, including sending emails to friends and relatives about your case.
- Arguing with medical providers or staff members about what went wrong, including sending correspondence to the medical provider complaining about the error.
- Throwing away any medical records or writing on medical records.
- Missing doctor’s appointments or failing to follow your new treatment plan.
- Failing to tell your attorney the full details of your case.
- Exaggerating your symptoms or damages.
Contact Our Nashville Medical Malpractice Attorney for Help
Medical malpractice claims can be complex cases involving multiple expert witnesses and volumes of documentation and evidence. Schedule a consult with one of our Tennessee medical malpractice attorneys to help investigate the medical error and help you build a case. We’ll provide support and guidance as you go through the process of holding a medical provider liable for medical negligence. You will be glad you contacted our firm to help.
Posted in: Medical Malpractice