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A Complete Guide on How To Get Your Medical Records
Are you preparing to file a car accident claim or a medical malpractice lawsuit? In these types of personal injury cases, knowing how to get your medical records will be of the utmost importance. They can make Florida personal injury claims so much stronger.
Thankfully, you shouldn’t have to jump through too many hoops to acquire medical records that highlight the injuries you sustained during a car accident or a botched medical procedure. However, because of privacy and confidentiality concerns, you may have to knock on a few different doors before you’re granted access to these records.
Check out our guide on how to get your medical records below.
Log in to a Patient Portal To Look For Your Medical Records
For a long time, personal injury plaintiffs had to reach out to hospitals, doctor’s offices, and other healthcare facilities directly to speak with representatives by phone when they wanted to secure medical records. This isn’t always the case anymore.
Many facilities — over 90%, according to one study — have established patient portals that people can utilize to access their records. If your facility offers one, you can look for your medical records and access them without having to talk to anyone.
Just make sure the records are complete if you decide to take this approach. It’s a good idea to write down any medical treatment you receive or tests you go through following a car accident or botched medical procedure. This will ensure you have all the necessary medical files later when you go searching for them.
Contact a Facility and Ask for Your Records
If you are unable to access a patient portal, you can secure your medical records by calling the facilities that provided you with treatment and asking for them. They can let you know the procedures they’ve implemented to provide patients with access to this information.
You may need to visit a healthcare facility in person to gain access to lab results, X-rays, and other records relevant to your personal injury case. It’s a great place to start when determining how to get your medical records.
Give a Personal Injury Lawyer the Authority To File a Medical Record Subpoena
If a healthcare facility refuses to give you medical records for one reason or another, a personal injury attorney can help. They will subpoena these records on your behalf once you’ve signed a patient consent and release form.
The personal injury lawyer representing you will typically do this during the discovery phase of your lawsuit. As long as they can showcase the relevancy of the records to your case, they can overcome any legal objections you might face when requesting medical records from a facility.
Let Our Law Firm Help You
Would you like a hand with tracking down your medical records for a car accident claim or a medical malpractice lawsuit? Jeffrey R. Davis, P.A., can speak with you about how to get your medical records quickly. Call us at (305) 577-3777 to schedule a consultation.