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How to Access Courthouse Records
It is essential
that you find out if the physicians you are interested in have had any
lawsuits filed against them. After you search our database, follow these
step-by-step
instructions:
1. Go the the Judicial Building of the County that the physician practices in.
2. Go to the District Court Clerks Office.
3. Ask the
clerk for all civil cases filed against the physician in question. You
are permitted to
view these
cases in Colorado.
4. Once you have the file, go to the very bottom of the first folder in the case.
5. Look for a document in there named Complaint. Read it, this is the initial complaint filed against the physician with the court. This document will tell the plaintiffs side of the case.
6. Now read
the document, Answer from the defendant. It is usually right above the
compliant. Here you will see the defendants side of the case. After reading
both of
these documents,
no matter what the outcome, you will probably be able to decide whether
or not you want employ the services of this physician.
7. You may
go on to see the outcome. Most cases are dismissed. This is an important
part of the file. Thinner files usually mean that the case either settled
early on or the lawyer withdrew. The most common reason for the withdrawal
of the attorney is costs. As we explained in the
Tort Reform
section, it is very difficult to pursue medical negligence in this state
from a financial standpoint. This greatly limits the amount of cases filed,
and we fear eventually there will be even fewer cases filed. When the case
is settled with settlement, there will always be signatures of all involved
parties, including the attorneys. If there is no page with those signatures,
there was no settlement. Almost all settlements are confidential, you will
not be able to find out amounts or terms in most cases.
8. Feel free to explore the rest of the file, most are long and cumbersome. We have given you these instructions to cut down on the time it will take you to complete this task which is essential to fully protecting yourself in the future.
9. We also recommend that you contact Denver District Court and follow the same procedure. There is a chance that cases may be filed there as well as in County Court.
10. If you
want copies of any documents, the clerk will make them for you at a nominal
fee. Please leave the files exactly as you are given them. Do not remove
pages,
write on
pages and never ever remove any document of a file. Treat the clerks with
respect and courtesy and you will be welcome to repeat the process whenever
you are searching for a physician.
11. If you find a physician that you really like who has lawsuits filed, or you don't understand the file, do ask the physician what happened. Most doctors who were wrongfully accused will tell you the truth. Always remember, a physician who admits that they may have made a mistake is a much better choice then one who always blames the patient or someone else. As we indicated, many innocent doctors are initially named as defendants and later dropped from the case. This only happens when there are several defendants.
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