Medical records are crucial to any personal injury or medical malpractice case. Your medical records provide important information about your medical history, treatment, and prognosis, which are all important factors in your personal injury case.
But, medical records are often difficult to understand for those who are not experienced in reading them. You deserve a personal injury lawyer who understands your medical records as fully as an actual medical doctor would! That’s why The Dr. Lawyer Law Group is your best choice for a personal injury attorney following a car accident, work accident, or medical malpractice occurrence.
In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of medical records, how to obtain them, and what to do if they are missing or incomplete.
The Importance of Medical Records
Medical records are critical in any personal injury or medical malpractice case. They provide important information about a patient's medical history, treatment, and prognosis. This information is used to establish the cause of the injury, the extent of the injury, and the need for future medical treatment. The settlement offer that your insurance company makes you is often heavily based on all of this is important information.
Medical records are the most important evidence in medical malpractice cases. Your records provide important evidence of the standard of care provided by the healthcare provider. But, in these cases, determining what is relevant from the records is very difficult.
The Dr. Lawyer is the best option for your car accident or medical malpractice case because he knows what to look for in your medical records. Many clients have come to The Dr. Lawyer Law Group after being turned down by other firms. But, the Dr. Lawyer can review records and determine how the records can prove medical negligence.
Obtaining Medical Records
In order to obtain a patient's medical records, you will need to complete a request form and submit it to the healthcare provider or facility where the records are held. Many of the large hospital and provider networks in Arizona have specific request forms that you can find online by searching the name of your hospital and “records request.” You may have to call your doctor’s office to help you request your records.
Click the link below to help you obtain your records from any of the listed treatment facilities:
Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital;
Abrazo Arrowhead Campus;
Abrazo Central Campus;
Abrazo Scottsdale Campus;
Abrazo West Campus
Banner UMC Phoenix;
Banner Estrella Medical Center;
Banner Thunderbird Medical Center;
Banner Ocotillo Medical Center;
Banner Boswell Medical Center;
Banner Gateway Medical Center;
Banner UMC South;
Banner UMC Tucson;
Diamond Children's Medical Center;
Banner Baywood Medical Center;
Banner Desert Medical Center;
Banner Ironwood Medical Center (and many more locations across Arizona)
Arizona General Hospitals;
Chandler Regional Medical Center;
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center;
St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center;
St. Joseph's Westgate Medical Center;
Yavapai Regional Medical Center
Valleywise Health Medical Center;
Valleywise Emergency Centers;
Valleywise Comprehensive Health Centers;
Valleywise Community Health Centers;
Valleywise Behavioral Health Centers
Under Arizona and HIPAA law, the healthcare provider or facility is required to provide the records within a certain timeframe, usually 30 days. If the records are not received within this timeframe, it is important to follow up with the healthcare provider or facility to ensure that your records are being processed.
The Dr. Lawyer Law Group is always available to our clients to assist them in obtaining their medical records.
Missing or Incomplete Medical Records
Unfortunately, sometimes medical records are missing or incomplete. This can happen for various reasons, including lost or destroyed records or failure to document a patient's treatment properly. If this happens, it is important to take immediate action to try and obtain the missing records. This may include contacting the healthcare provider or facility directly or filing a complaint with the appropriate state agency.
In conclusion, medical records are a crucial component of any personal injury or medical malpractice case. It is important to obtain the records in a timely manner, and take action if they are missing or incomplete. The Dr. Lawyer Law Group is the only Arizona personal injury law firm with experience in both the law and the medical side of your personal injury or medical malpractice case. Let us help you navigate the process of obtaining and using medical records in your Phoenix car accident, workers' compensation, or medical malpractice case.