Handling complex medical malpractice defense cases, often with over 20,000 pages of medical records, requires more than just organization—it demands efficiency and precision. For Tom Prato, a partner at Brown, Gruttadaro & Prato PLLC in Rochester, NY, staying ahead means using Casefleet since 2017 to streamline his document review and case management process.
Tom views Casefleet as a game-changer in how he manages his cases:
"I don’t know where we’d be without it."
Before using Casefleet, Tom and his team struggled with managing the overwhelming amount of medical records involved in their cases. Paralegals, nurses, and attorneys often duplicated work, and there was no efficient way to collaborate or track who had reviewed which documents. Reviewing documents and preparing fact chronologies for litigation was time-consuming.
"We’ve gone from handling cases with 1,000 pages of medical records to now managing over 20,000 pages per case," Tom explains.
With such a high volume of documents, it was clear that a more robust solution was needed to avoid wasting valuable time and resources.
Efficient document processing & seamless collaboration
With Casefleet, Tom and his team can now streamline the document processing workflow. Paralegals Bates label and upload all records into Casefleet, making them instantly accessible to everyone on the team. Legal Nurse Consultants are notified when documents are ready for review, and the entire team can view, annotate, and comment on documents in real time, eliminating the inefficiencies of working in silos.
Tom explained, "What I found really great about Casefleet from the minute we got it was its collaborative nature. I can see what the nurse consultant has looked at, what she's created, and what the associate has reviewed—allowing me to focus on what's most important."
Importing existing bookmarks
One of the features that Tom and his team found particularly valuable is the ability to import existing bookmarks from medical records. In cases with tens of thousands of pages of documents, these bookmarks are crucial for navigating complex records efficiently.
"Without bookmarks, you can't navigate through the documents. Casefleet’s ability to bring in those bookmarks and allow us to instantly jump to key sections has been a game changer." Tom recalls an example where they were dealing with 18,000 pages of records, and bookmarks were essential to locating specific notes or test results without spending hours searching. "With Casefleet, we can break up documents into time frames or sections, making even large records manageable."
Creating accurate chronologies with ease
Once the records are uploaded, Legal Nurse Consultants use Casefleet to quickly and efficiently create fact chronologies from the documents. Each fact is linked to the exact place in the medical records, ensuring accuracy and completeness in the timeline of events. This ensures no critical detail is overlooked.
Automatic date detection saves time
Before Casefleet’s automatic date detection feature, entering dates manually was a tedious process, especially with large volumes of records. Now, Tom’s team can automate this process, drastically reducing manual input errors and speeding up their workflow.
"It’s much easier when [Casefleet] detects the date... the less we have to manually input, the better," Tom explains. "That’s been really good for the group."
While the team continues to cross-check certain dates for accuracy, Casefleet’s automation has saved valuable time for everyone involved, enabling them to focus on more critical aspects of their cases.
Ongoing collaboration & regular reviews
Tom discussed how he and his team gather for regular review meetings to assess progress on their cases, saying, "Every 90 days, we sit down, throw Casefleet up in the conference room, and talk about the records. Casefleet is our repository, and it helps us collaborate better."
"The reality is that since 2020 and with people working remotely from time-to-time, if you’re not getting together, how efficient is your collaboration? Casefleet helps us utilize a shared database so we’re always on the same page." This structured approach to reviewing cases keeps the team organized and ensures a comprehensive understanding of every detail.
Since adopting Casefleet, Tom and his team have experienced significant improvements in their workflow, saving valuable time and enhancing collaboration. They’ve also eliminated inefficiencies from working in silos and now handle their most complex medical malpractice cases with greater ease and precision.
Tom credits Casefleet with not only improving his team’s workflow but also enabling them to provide better service to their clients, saying, "Casefleet allows us to provide our clients with requested chronologies and summaries with great ease. It is a product that fits our needs and allows us to better serve our clients."
At a recent mediation, Tom demonstrated Casefleet’s value firsthand:
"We were able to meticulously break down the timeline of events at the hospital and discuss it with the mediator in great detail. We easily integrated photographs and expected trial evidence into our mediation presentation. The ability to have the chronology, facts and records readily available for presentation was a great advantage during the mediation process."
Tom's success story illustrates the transformative impact Casefleet can have on legal practices. By streamlining case management and enhancing collaborative efforts, Casefleet empowers teams to work more efficiently and effectively.
If you're looking to achieve similar results in your practice, now is the perfect time to experience the benefits of Casefleet for yourself. Try Casefleet for free for 14-days, or schedule a personalized demo to see how it can revolutionize your workflow.