What is a medical release?

Talking about you health might be no big deal to you. Most people have gone through a medical experience or doctor visit at some point that they talk about with their friends. Some like to swap stories, discuss what worked and didn’t work for them, and who the best and worst doctors are in town. When it comes to your health, it’s no secret as far as you’re concerned. You really don’t care who knows about your medical history – but the government does.

In 1996, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA for short. Originally referred to as the Kennedy-Kassebaum Bill, HIPPA is a set of regulations created as a system to recognize and enforce the rights of patients and to protect the privacy of their medical records. Thanks to HIPPA, a doctor or nurse can’t ever discuss your medical problem or history with their spouses or friends. A counselor can’t tell your boss you’re in therapy for panic attacks. HIPPA keeps your business your business.

There are times when others need access to your medical records. Physicians may want to look at your health history to help determine the cause of a current ailment. When you see a doctor, he or she will ask you to sign a medical release for access.

If you are injured due to someone’s negligence, such as in an automobile accident or if you are pursuing a claim for workers compensation or social security disability benefits, your attorney will ask you to sign a medical release form. A medical release form gives your lawyer access to your medical records, hospital bills, course of treatment and prognosis so they can be presented as evidence in court. A judge or jury may consider how the course of your health history changed as a result of your illness or injury, so he or she can determine who is liable. Signing a medical release form helps your attorney build a strong case so you can receive the compensation you deserve from someone who was negligent. It’s your health – and your life. However, if an insurance company asks you to sign a medical release form, you should first discuss it with an experienced attorney.

The experienced personal injury lawyers at Murphy & Garner, LLC have decades of experience handling auto accidents, workers compensation cases and disability cases and will fight for the compensation you deserve. For your free consultation call us today at 678-563-1584, or visit us online.

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