You trusted your doctor. You followed their advice. There are serious health issues that have developed unexpectedly in your current situation.
Your situation might relate to a failed operation at Piedmont Hospital or a diagnostic mistake that worsened your condition. Your intuition detects a serious medical error, yet you lack direction on what steps to take next.
People make these common mistakes when they wait too long and say the wrong words or mishandle their case before meeting with an attorney. And honestly? It breaks my heart because these mistakes can totally change whether you get the compensation you deserve.
Let me walk you through the biggest blunders patients make – so you don’t have to learn the hard way.
Waiting Too Long to Get Help
The clock does not work in your favor within this situation. Georgia establishes a two-year legal deadline starting from the injury date for filing medical malpractice lawsuits. The time frame appears to be sufficient, does it not? Unfortunately, the two-year period passes quickly like vehicles on I-85 during peak traffic. The waiting period results in the loss of essential evidence. Nurses change jobs. Hospital records get harder to track down. Witnesses forget important details.
I get it – you’re dealing with medical issues, probably scared, definitely overwhelmed. The last thing you want is to deal with lawyers and legal stuff. But waiting until month 23 to make that call? That’s cutting it way too close. Some cases need months just to investigate properly.
Don’t wait until you’re feeling better; contact experienced medical malpractice lawyers Atlanta as soon as possible. That day might never come, and by then, your window could be closed.
Talking Too Much on Social Media
People generally regard social media posts as harmless even when they express frustration or anger. However, insurance companies and defense lawyers carefully inspect social media accounts. These professionals search for details that could work against their clients’ claims. The picture of you at your nephew’s birthday party might result in the defense arguing that you do not experience suffering. The defense will use your social media post about feeling improved to assert that you exaggerated your physical damages.
Here’s my advice: stop posting about your medical situation entirely. Don’t talk about your health, your treatment, your case – nothing. And definitely don’t badmouth your doctor online, even if they deserve it. Just… don’t.
Save those thoughts for your lawyer. They actually want to hear them.
Not Keeping Records
Your medical records are everything in a malpractice case. They’re the proof that shows what happened and when.
But here’s what people do: they assume the hospital will just hand over perfect records later. Or they toss out appointment reminders, billing statements, and prescription bottles because they’re “just clutter.”
Big mistake.
Start keeping everything right now. And I mean everything:
- Every hospital bill, even the confusing ones
- All prescription bottles and medication instructions
- Appointment cards and dates
- Notes from phone calls with your doctor’s office
- Photos of your injuries or surgical sites
- A journal of your symptoms and how they affect your daily life
Write down what you remember happening, too. The details fade fast. What seemed crystal clear last month gets fuzzy by next month.
One woman I know took photos of her surgical site every single day during her recovery. Those photos ended up being critical evidence when complications showed up. She wasn’t planning to sue – she just wanted to document her healing. Smart thinking.
Talking to Insurance Adjusters Alone
An insurance adjuster calls you. They sound nice, sympathetic even. They just want to “get your side of the story” and “help sort this out quickly.”
Stop. Put down the phone. Don’t say another word.
That friendly adjuster? They work for the insurance company, not for you. Their job is to pay you as little as possible – or better yet, nothing at all. Every word you say gets written down and can be used to minimize or deny your claim.
They’ll ask questions that sound innocent but are actually traps:
- “So you’re feeling better now?”
- “You went back to work, right?”
- “The doctor explained all the risks, didn’t they?”
One wrong answer and you’ve just damaged your case. They might even record the conversation without telling you it’s being used for claims purposes.
When an insurance company contacts you, inform them: “I need my attorney to participate in any conversation.” Hang up and contact your lawyer immediately. Just say this and then end the call without saying anything more.
Believing Doctors Can’t Make Mistakes
Doctors function as human beings who experience fatigue while their attention becomes divided and their mental capacity gets overwhelmed. They create assumptions and fail to detect important details.
Some patients struggle to accept that their doctor – the person they trusted completely – could screw up that badly. Patients create explanations through statements like “He seemed so smart” and “The hospital has a good reputation” and “Maybe it’s just bad luck.”
Your instincts should override any benefit of the doubt you give them. Mistakes occur even when doctors along with hospitals maintain high standards of care. A prestigious Emory degree does not guarantee that someone will be perfect.
When you experience major complications that were not disclosed as expected risks, it becomes important to investigate the situation. A pattern emerges when multiple things go wrong during your care that requires further investigation.
Trust yourself. You know your body. You know when something feels seriously wrong.
The Bottom Line
Medical malpractice cases create the worst possible experience for patients who must deal with them. Health issues already burden you but now you must handle legal matters and court proceedings, which adds to your existing challenges.
But protecting your rights matters. Getting fair compensation for what happened to you matters. Making sure this doesn’t happen to the next patient matters.
The mistakes I’ve talked about here? They’re all fixable – if you catch them early enough. The moment you suspect something went wrong with your medical care, start being careful. Watch what you say and what you sign. Document everything. And get legal advice sooner rather than later.
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Most Atlanta medical malpractice lawyers will meet with you for free to discuss your situation. They can tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing.
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