What if you found out that your doctor had a felony on his or her record involving medical malpractice and prescription drug abuse? That question is not just a hypothetical one for some people. Recently, two doctors with felony records had their medical licenses restored. One of the doctors got his license back after losing it because he was convicted of illegally distributing controlled substances and faced allegations that he was addicted to pain pills. The other doctor got his license back after losing it because he was arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) and convicted of forging prescriptions for opioids and other types of drugs.
How Can I Find Out If My Doctor Has Ever Been Sued for Medical Malpractice?
Forbes magazine reported on how patients can find out if their doctors have had a medical malpractice lawsuit filed against them. According to the article, here are a few ways you can check to see if your doctor has been sued for medical malpractice:
- Court Records – If the medical malpractice lawsuit against your doctor took place in your state, you can check online for the court records. If you cannot locate the records online, you can contact the County Clerk’s office in the county where your doctor works.
- State Medical Board – The medical board in each state handles disciplining doctors, including revoking medical licenses. In most cases, the medical board makes information about doctors’ criminal records and whether they have been sued for medical malpractice available online for free.
- State Department of Health Services – If you check with your state’s department of health services, you can find out if there have been complaints made against a hospital.
The California medical malpractice attorneys at The Mitchell Leeds, LLP has a history of helping medical malpractice victims and their families hold negligent doctors and hospitals accountable for the pain and suffering they caused them, including securing financial help for hospital bills, loss of income, rehabilitation costs and funeral expenses.
