Accessing Your Medical Records

If you were injured in a personal injury accident, like a car wreck or medical malpractice accident, then you need to know the importance of keeping good medical records. The U.S. Federal government passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 2003, which allows your medical history and current records to be more readily available. While they are more accessible to you, they are also more public for other interested parties.

These interested parties can include:

Close Family Members and Friends: Family members and friends often invoke the Health Care Power of Attorney, which allows them to access your records for you.
Employers: An employer has the right to look at your records to access your ability to do a given job, or to check up on your previous ailments for comparison in workers comp cases.
Insurance Companies: Insurance companies can access your medical records in personal injury cases to compare injuries before and after the accident, as well as in doctor’s medical malpractice cases.

Medical records can be an important tool in winning or losing a personal injury case, which is why HIPAA can be your friend or your foe. Make sure to keep your own record of medical records to prevent fraud.

Call an Appleton Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Medical Malpractice relies on good keeping of medical records. Your medical records are important for your case, which makes accessing them extremely important. Call the Appleton medical malpractice lawyers of Habush, Habush, & Rottier, S.C., at 800-242-2874 or contact us at our website for legal advice or representation.

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