In Corcoran, it’s common for people to rely on what they were told verbally—especially during a stressful ER visit. But in malpractice litigation, the most persuasive evidence usually comes from what was documented:
- triage notes and initial symptom descriptions
- vital signs and how quickly they were rechecked
- orders placed (and whether they were actually carried out)
- imaging and lab reporting
- medication administration records
- discharge instructions and return precautions
Even when a patient is sure something was overlooked, the legal question becomes whether the ER team met the standard of care given the symptoms and timing.


