Medical record retrieval is the process of obtaining complete patient medical documentation from healthcare providers.
Strong cases struggle to reach fair settlement values without organized, comprehensive records. Records should connect injuries to incidents and document treatment progression.
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This guide covers how medical record retrieval works. Learn how AI-powered platforms are transforming records into actionable case intelligence.
Personal injury attorneys rely on medical records to build their case. Medical records inform critical legal documents, including demand packages, negotiate settlements, and prepare for litigation.
Without complete records, connecting injuries to the incident becomes nearly impossible. This puts calculating damages accurately is out of the question.
Records include:
The retrieval process starts with securing a valid authorization from your client. Authorization identifies which healthcare providers can release records and what timeframe the authorization covers.
Most personal injury firms use broad authorizations. These encompass all providers where the client received treatment related to the incident.
After authorizations, requests go out to each identified healthcare facility. Signed release forms and any required fees for copying costs are also sent.
Submission method varies.Large hospital systems often have centralized medical records departments. Smaller practices may route requests through office managers or individual physicians.
This is where many in-house retrieval efforts break down. Providers often miss their own response deadlines, lose paperwork, or claim they never received the request. Systematic follow-up becomes essential to keep records flowing.
Effective tracking systems log submission dates, expected response dates, and follow-up attempts for every provider in every case.
When records don't arrive on schedule, retrieval specialists contact provider records departments. They can identify bottlenecks, resubmit lost paperwork, or escalate to compliance officers when facilities are unresponsive.
Quality assurance is critical upon retrieval. Incomplete sets can undermine your entire case strategy. Retrieval specialists review incoming documents. They verify that
Identifying gaps immediately allows for targeted follow-up requests before you discover missing documentation during settlement negotiations.
Once records pass quality review, they're organized chronologically and delivered through secure channels.
Many retrieval services provide certification letters that may be required for admissibility in court proceedings.
Retrieved medical records provide the foundation for organizing treatment timelines and corresponding medical expenses that demonstrate the full scope of your client's injuries.
Each provider's records include billing statements or itemized charges. These can be cross-referenced with treatment dates to verify every procedure, test, and visit is accounted for in your damages calculation.
Gaps between treatment dates often signal missing records or unreported providers that need investigation.
AI-powered platforms can analyze hundreds of pages of medical records to automatically generate chronological summaries highlighting key events:
AI summaries extract the narrative arc of your client's medical journey. AI summaries pull from dense clinical documentation. They save paralegals dozens of hours per case.
Complete medical records allow you to trace the direct connection between the incident and your client's injuries through physician assessments, diagnostic test results, and treatment progression notes.
Build the causation narrative that supports your demand with emergency room records documenting injuries immediately post-incident, combined with specialist evaluations confirming trauma-related diagnoses.
Records also reveal ongoing treatment needs and functional limitations that inform future medical care projections. Critical details justify higher settlement demands beyond past medical expenses.
Traditional medical record retrieval services focus on obtaining and delivering documents. EvenUp's Claims Intelligence Platform transforms records into actionable case intelligence that accelerates settlements and maximizes outcomes.
Built on the largest personal injury datasets in the industry, EvenUp's AI analyzes retrieved medical records to automatically generate comprehensive demand packages, detailed medical chronologies, and data-driven settlement recommendations.
EvenUp connects medical documentation directly to demand generation and case strategy. Schedule a consultation to see how EvenUp's AI-powered platform can transform your firm's approach to medical records and case preparation.
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