A medical record is the documentation maintained by medical workers of a patient’s symptoms, treatments and medical history, as well as test results, X-ray reports and laboratory examinations.
A medical record is a common and key piece of evidence in personal injury, insurance and criminal law, where a victim’s injuries must be proven.
In cases where a person’s physical injuries are at issue, a medical record may be a straightforward piece of evidence establishing that the person’s injuries are real. In other cases, like a medical malpractice case, the whole case might revolve around the reliability of the medical record and whether or not a medical record reveals a mistake made by a doctor or medical professional.
The Privacy Rule in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 makes it more difficult to access medical records.