Have you ever seen your medical records? Surprisingly, many people have not and, not surprisingly, many people do not know that they have a right to see their own medical records. But it is easy to obtain a copy of your medical records.

Of course, in a case where a client has been injured due to the fault of another the medical records are a critical part of the case and something that I will always o

However, a person has a right to a copy of their own records at any time, even if they are not in an accident.

In Connecticut Section 20-7c of the Connecticut General Statute requires a health care provider in all but a few narrowly defined exceptions to supply to a patient upon request complete and current information possessed by that provider concerning any diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of the patient.

Additionally, if a written request is made a health care provider must furnish a copy of the patient's health record.

Some things to note:

1. A health care provider can charge up to sixty-five cents per page, including any research fees, handling fees or related costs, and the cost of first class postage, if applicable, for furnishing a health record
2. A health care provider must furnish a health record requested pursuant to this section within thirty days of the request.
3. No health care provider, who has purchased or assumed the practice of a provider who is retiring or deceased, may refuse to return original records or copied records to a patient who decides not to seek care from the successor provider. When returning records to a patient who has decided not to seek care from a successor provider, such provider may not charge a patient for costs incurred in copying the records of the retired or deceased provider.