What to Do If You Are a Victim of Medical Malpractice in Atlanta

It is possible that you were hurt because your health care worker did not follow the right standard of care. This is called medical malpractice, and in such situations, you need to act quickly and thoughtfully to protect your rights.

Atlanta is the capital of Georgia and one of the most important places in the Southeast for healthcare and research. People from all over the area make use of the hospitals, specialist clinics, and academic medical centers in the city. Because there are so many medical services in one place, errors and disputes happen more often than in rural areas.

If you are a victim of medical malpractice, you should talk to an Atlanta medical malpractice attorney to find out what your rights are and what you need to do next. To give you an idea of what they might tell you, this article discusses the basic things you need to do if you are a victim of medical malpractice.

Table of Contents

Things You Must Prove

In Georgia, you have to show the following to prove malpractice:

There was a doctor-patient relationship.
The provider didn’t follow the standard of care.
You were hurt because they breached the standard of care.
You suffered damages (medical bills, pain, lost wages, etc.).

In Georgia, you need medical expert testimony to back up your claim.

Immediate Steps to Take After Suspected Malpractice

Request all your medical records: You have the legal right to all of your medical records, so ask for them.
Write down everything that happened: This should include names, dates, treatments, and symptoms, all in a timeline.
Get a second medical opinion: This helps prove the mistake and gives you new documentation.
Take pictures of injuries or scars on your body: This will serve as additional proof.
Don’t talk about your case in public: Stay away from social media and casual chats that could be used against you.

Be Mindful of Georgia’s Legal Deadlines

Medical malpractice cases in Georgia have to be filed within a certain time. Typically, you have two years from the date of the injury (or the date you should have known about it) to file a lawsuit.

Georgia also has a law called “statute of repose,” which says that you can’t file a case more than five years after the negligent act, no matter when you found out about it. However, there are a few exceptions, like when a foreign item is left in the body. If you miss these deadlines, you might not be able to recover damages, even if your case is strong.

Reporting Malpractice and Filing Complaints

You can file a complaint with the Georgia Composite Medical Board if you think a provider breached professional or ethical rules. At the same time, your lawyer could file a case in Fulton County, Georgia, or the county where the provider works.