In Florida, with very few exceptions, a patient has a legal right to obtain copies of his medical records. In general, if the patient needs the records for continuing care, they should be provided free of charge. If the patient just wants to review them, or have their lawyer review them, the health care provider can charge for the copies. The amount of the charge is governed by law, and depends on the type of records being obtained and the number of pages.
Patients also have a general right to look at the originals.
These links will take you to more information about getting access to specific types of medical records. This information is for Florida only. Malpractice laws vary from state to state and are constantly changing. If you think you may have a malpractice case you should promptly contact a lawyer in your state with experience in handling malpractice cases.