Report a Claim

Have the following information and documents to help save you time:

• Patient or claimant name and date of birth
• Documents outlining the allegations, dates of alleged negligence, and/or request for appearance
• Date you received the documents, along with how they were received
• A copy of the patient’s medical records, if available
• A copy of the incident report completed by you, if available
• The name and address of the contact person at your practice
• The best time to reach the contact person at your practice

Contact us immediately if:

• You or your practice receive legal papers naming you, your practice, or any of your practice’s employees as a defendant
• A patient or patient’s relative demands compensation for medical services you or your practice provided
• A patient or patient’s relative delivers a verbal or written threat to pursue legal action as a result of treatment you or your practice provided
• An attorney contacts you about the care and treatment given to a patient
• You receive a request for a patient’s medical records for reasons other than transfer of care
• An adverse event occurs that you think could become a claim
• You receive a licensure or board complaint

The sooner we are aware of medical incidents that could potentially lead to legal proceedings or patient complaints, the better. Situations which may lead to a claim include:

• A patient experiences a significant, unexpected adverse outcome
• You suspect an error or omission occurred in providing medical treatment
• A patient expresses dissatisfaction with the treatment you provided
• Another healthcare provider is involved in a legal action with one of your current or previous patients
• A member of your staff informs you of a potential patient incident

ProAssurance will assign a claims specialist to work closely with you and your assigned defense counsel. They will maintain ongoing communications and attend interviews, depositions, mediations, and trials to help ensure the best defense of your claim.

We will choose your legal defense team from a select group of defense attorneys experienced in medical professional liability litigation with a track record and expertise in the specific type of malpractice related to your case. Our claims specialists have extensive knowledge of local claims, legal, and professional liability environments to help prepare an optimal defense.

Your claims specialist will assist you with every aspect of the claims process. For additional information, review our list of claims dos and don'ts.