You expect your medical providers to treat you with care and respect. You also anticipate that your doctor will provide you with a timely and accurate diagnosis, thereafter providing you with effective and safe medical care. Yet, all too often medical professionals make mistakes that put innocent patients like you in harm’s way. And the damage that’s caused can be significant, leaving some individuals with permanent disability, lifelong pain, psychological turmoil and extreme financial losses. All of that can take a toll, resulting in you feeling crushed by the uncertainty of your future.
Although that’s worrisome to say the least, you may be able to fight for accountability and recover the compensation you need. To do so, you’ll need to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. But even if your case seems straightforward and it’s obvious that your medical provider made a mistake that led to your harm, there are errors that can be made along the way that could jeopardize your case. Let’s look at some of them here so that you know how to protect the viability of your claim.
Mistakes to avoid when pursuing a medical malpractice claim
Medical malpractice claims are notoriously complex. But even when the evidence is overwhelmingly in your favor, you can still make a costly mistake that puts your ultimate recovery at risk. Here are some that you’ll want to be sure to avoid:
- Failing to seek out thorough medical care: If you’ve been harmed by medical malpractice, then you need to seek out treatment for your newfound condition. But you have to ensure that you’re being thorough when securing this care. Don’t downplay seemingly minor symptoms, and don’t fail to follow your doctor’s recommendations because you don’t feel like they’re needed. You have to have a clear picture of the harm that’s been done to you and strong evidence of your need for ongoing care. You’re only going to be able to prove those aspects of your case if you have medical records to back up your claim.
- Posting on social media: Although social media can give you an outlet for your pain and your frustrations, it can also give the defense evidence that they can use against you. They might try to use your posts to show that your condition isn’t as severe as you claim it to be, or to demonstrate that your condition is attributable to something other than medical malpractice. So, be careful with what you post. It may be wise to stay away from social media altogether until your case resolves.
- Being inconsistent: There’s a good chance that you’re going to be deposed in your medical malpractice case. This means that the other side will take testimony from you prior to trial. Their hope is to lock you into inconsistent statements that will devastate your credibility at trial. Therefore, you need to be careful and articulate with what you say. Preparation is key when you’re to be deposed, but also watch out for any statements that you give to other parties, like an insurance company.
Don’t be your own worst enemy in your medical malpractice case
Given the complexities of a medical malpractice case, there’s a lot of room for error. For example, if you don’t get an appropriate certificate of merit, then your claim will be dead in its tracks. Therefore, uou need to make sure you avoid making mistakes that could prove costly to your claim.
Therefore, as you build your medical malpractice case, ensure that you’re being as thorough as possible while anticipating the defense’s arguments. Hopefully then you’ll be well positioned to find accountability and recover the compensation you need to spur your recovery forward and secure stability.