MIEC's Claims Department welcomes your calls for advice or assistance. This is a service you pay for in your premiums, and we hope you will use it. It is most important that YOU personally call us to report any incidents or potential claims - do not delegate this to your medical office staff!

Please call us if you:

• Want to report a claim or untoward medical incident
• Receive any legal papers, including a notice of intent to sue, summons and complaint, or request for pre-litigation screening (outside California), or demand for arbitration of a claim
• Have a question about a request for medical records
• Need legal advice or attorney representation at a deposition
• Want to know the status of a pending claim
• Receive a notice or request from a federal or state agency such as a board of medical examiners
• Want advice about withdrawing from a patient's care
• Have received a deposition notice, or a request for a meeting or a report from an attorney representing a patient who may file a claim against you.

When you call to report a new claim or incident, a claims technician will gather preliminary information, including your name, specialty, address, MIEC policy number and the nature of your call. Please have available the patient's chart and any legal papers you have received. A claims representative will return your call promptly.

Helpful tips - for your protection

Get advice early. Potential claims can be prevented if we know about them early and can obtain legal advice or representation for you, if indicated.

Don't call a patient's attorney or the patient after receiving legal papers. Such conversations are discoverable in court and may be used against you. MIEC's claims representative or defense counsel will contact the patient's attorney when appropriate.

Do not alter the medical record. It is against the law in most states and may affect your MIEC coverage as well as your license to practice. Charting changes can be used against you in court. If you discover errors or omissions in the record after you receive notice of a claim, call MIEC for advice.

Do not discuss a potential claim or suit with other physicians.  If you must discuss ongoing patient care with co-treating physicians, do not discuss the medical-legal aspects of the case. Such discussions are not protected and are therefore discoverable by the opposing attorney

Do not cancel charges because of a threat of litigation. Obtain advice about further billing from an MIEC claims representative.

Do NOT release original records or x-rays until you have obtained advice from a claims representative or defense attorney.