What Can I Do as a Victim of Medical Malpractice?

What to Do When You’re a Victim of Medical Malpractice

If you’ve already read through our blog about how to know if you’re a victim of medical malpractice, you now have a clearer idea of what this means and if you meet the criteria. If you’ve found that you are a victim of medical malpractice, you are probably wondering what you can do next?

Here are some steps you can take in your journey to compensation.

Confirm Injuries, Losses, and/or Damages

If you have sustained any physical injuries, you should seek other medical attention immediately. Not only is this essential for your health, but it is also crucial to building your case. Having solid evidence of injuries directly sustained as a result of medical malpractice can make all the difference to your claims. Medical professionals are the ones who can confirm or deny whether a procedure was mishandled or not.

The same concept can be applied to any losses and/or damages sustained in regards to lost wages and/or mental and emotional anguish. You should document losses and damages with photographs and evidence in the form of paper trails, communication logs, electronic correspondence, etc., when possible. Additionally, keep track of any and all claims through your insurance and other bills.

Gathering Evidence of Medical Malpractice

In St. Louis, Missouri, there are a few points of criteria regarding what constitutes medical malpractice. Once you know you meet the criteria, it is important to gather evidence of your claim. Here are a few things you can do as soon as you are able:

1. Write out a timeline of the events as they occurred. Include any and all information about why and what you were receiving medical treatment/care, when you were there, what procedures occurred, what was said, etc.
2. Collect any photos and evidence (as discussed above) of injuries, damages, and/or losses sustained.
3. Gather medical records of diagnoses and treatments received as a result of injuries sustained.
4. Gather any records of losses and/or damages sustained, the approximate value of everything affected, including, but not limited to any related insurance documents and bills.

Remember, in order to form a strong case, you must prove you were owed a duty of care; you were not provided the proper medical care according to accepted standards; the breach of care is what caused damage, loss, and/or injury; and you suffered actual damage due to the healthcare provider’s neglect. Overall, it is a matter of clearly demonstrating that the failure to provide proper medical care is what caused damage, loss, and/or injury. Whatever you have that will support your claim as a victim, you should gather.

Another Important Thing to Know

It is absolutely crucial to act fast with cases of medical malpractice. Missouri’s two-year statute of limitations is decently shorter than most states. In all cases, if possible, it is always best to pursue litigation sooner rather than later. But for cases with a much shorter timeline in which to pursue, it is even more vital.

Additionally, litigation can be a very long and costly process, so acting quickly can support a swifter path to compensation as details are still fresh in the mind and in your records.

If you allow more than two years to pass, you may not be able to receive the compensation you deserve. So, act now, and start turning to researching medical malpractice lawyers that can help guide you through ensuring you are eligible to pursue compensation and everything that comes with that arduous journey.

Thompson Law Can Help

The legal world is intimidating, precise, and difficult to navigate. Thompson Law is here to help lift this weight off your shoulders with compassionate and thorough care for each and every client that crosses our threshold.

If you have a medical malpractice claim, contact Thompson Law for a free consultation, and let us support you in your fight for compensation.