Medical chronology

What it is

A medical chronology lists every encounter in date order: the provider, the complaint, findings, diagnoses, treatment, work restrictions and the bill, each with a cite to the page of the record it came from. A good one also notes prior injuries, gaps in treatment, missed appointments and referrals that never happened.

The rules behind the records

The chronology is only as complete as the records the firm collects. In California, when a patient's attorney presents the patient's written authorization, the provider must make the records available for inspection or copying within five days, or risk paying the reasonable expenses of compelling production (Evidence Code 1158). Under HIPAA, a patient's own request for access must generally be answered within 30 days (45 CFR 164.524). Firms often use both routes. Our records request letter generator and guide to records request laws cover the details.

Why it matters to a plaintiff firm

The chronology feeds the demand letter, deposition outlines, expert review and mediation briefs. Adjusters read the records for causation, gaps and pre-existing conditions, so the firm should find those first. Cited entries let a reviewer check a fact in seconds instead of rereading a 2,000-page file. See how to build a medical chronology and the buyer's guide to chronology software.