Do Hospital Records Help A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit?

Florida Hospital Accused of Using Faulty Heart for Transplant

Posted on April 03, 2015 by Shapiro Law Group

A hospital in Tampa Bay has become the target of a potential lawsuit after a former attorney died only one week after receiving a heart transplant. The estate of the deceased man has asked a local attorney to look into hospital records and determine whether an error during the heart transplant led to his death.

Family members of the man suspect that the heart was not vetted correctly, meaning that it was unsuitable for transplant. If a heart is too big or small, or if the age of the donor and the recipient are too far apart, it is considered unsuitable for transplant. Medical malpractice litigation would target the cardiac surgeons responsible for procuring the heart used in the transplant.

According to the attorney representing the estate of the deceased man, hospitals should have records on donor organs. After the hospital claimed it possessed no information on the donor, the attorney representing the estate asked a judge to order a release of hospital records.

Without the relevant hospital records, it will not be possible to determine whether surgeons procured a suitable heart before performing a transplant, and proving negligence will become a very difficult prospect.

How Do Hospital Records Help A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit?

As we have observed from the case in Tampa Bay, obtaining medical and hospital records are an important first step during medical malpractice litigation. Attorneys must be able to show a high standard of proof that negligent medical care killed or injured a patient. Actions that led to an injury or death might be uncovered by going through the extensive records that medical professionals and hospitals keep.

Our readers can learn more about the importance of evidence in a medical malpractice lawsuit by exploring our website. For regular updates on Shapiro Law Group, please follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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