Many residents of Western Pennsylvania are likely aware that under certain circumstances it may be a good idea to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. When someone suffers a serious injury at the hands of those who are charged with caring for them the outcome can be devastating and change their life forever. These situations arise all too often throughout the nation. In fact last year, medical malpractice payouts totaled more than $3 billion.

While most would agree that it is a good thing that the civil remedy exists, the best way to deal with a situation that could prompt a medical malpractice lawsuit is to avoid it altogether. There are a variety of things a patient can do to minimize the chances of such an incident occurring including:

• Documenting symptoms they experience
• Conducting research on the diagnosed health condition
• Creating a written list of questions to be posed to healthcare providers and     make sure they are fully answered
• Bringing someone along to doctor appointments

Of course even a patient who follows these recommendations could still find themselves in a situation where they have been injured due to the behavior of a medical provider that did not measure up to the recognized standard of care. In these situations it is important for the injured patient to contact a lawyer in a timely manner. There are several reasons for this including a statute of limitations that once run, bars the filing of a medical malpractice lawsuit. It is also beneficial for a lawyer to begin to gather evidence as quickly as possible.

Source: Forbes, "10 Things You Want To Know About Medical Malpractice," Demetrius Cheeks, May 16, 2013