Giving a voice
to the voiceless

Together we stand… united we fight injustice!

Do you suspect malpractice?

01

Get Your records

Paperwork is so important and you have a right to ALL of it – typically within 3 business days. 

02

Contact Us

Let us know what is going on. Here’s a quick form to get your started. 

03

Get a Review

An independent case review from a vetted consultant associated with Joey’s Legacy is key. 

CAUTION: Be very careful if you decide to post your story on social media sites. State only irrefutable facts about your case (facts that can be proven) rather than comments that could be considered defamatory toward the practitioner, especially after you have filed a lawsuit against the veterinarian. If you are considering legal action, we strongly recommend that you DO NOT post anything on social media. 

Our Services

Vetted Consultant Referrals

Our consultants are all fully vetted prior to being referred to you. We have consultants in the field of veterinary, legal, and mental health. Our referred independent vets will review all aspects of your case and provide a Certificate of Merit, if negligence or malpractice is found. If no malpractice is found, then two vets review your case and we do it all for less than 1/3 of the fee that is generally available to the public. Should you choose, our attorney referrals are experts in veterinary malpractice cases and take over once you have a Certificate of Merit.

Community Education

Education is the primary component of stopping malpractice. Sadly we can no longer blindly trust (if we ever could). Our community advocates strive to inform in all aspects of care. We work to hold "bad actors" in the veterinary field accountable and inform the public through our books, newsletters, social media and even our documentary, which is currently in the works.

Victim Support

We understand this is not only a troubling, confusing time but also a path that you have hopefully never traveled previously. We are there by your side from your first initial contact to your case review by independent vets even through the legal system and beyond if necessary. Need help navigating the system, we are here. Or just need someone to listen, we are here for that too. We know what you are going through and have processes in place to help.

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We are here to help 7 days a week.
9 am - 7 pm ET
121 Northpoint Dr., Suite 1610
Lexington, South Carolina 29072

Note: This form is for general contact only. If you are trying to submit a new case, please use the “Has Your Pet Been A Victim” form below.

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Note: For your convenience, your subscription is shared with our partner Veterinary Malpractice Consultants. You can find out more about our mission-driven partner HERE. And of course, you can unsubscribe at any time. We promise you do not hear from us too often. And we never, ever sell your information.

Has your pet been a victim?

Joey’s Legacy joins you in grieving for pet companions who have fallen victim to veterinary negligence, be it permanent injury or death. Our nationwide network of veterinary experts and animal law attorneys seeks to hold negligent practitioners responsible for their mistakes. Please complete the victim form below and we will be in touch shortly. This link takes you to our partner Veterinary Malpractice Consultants.

Here is all paperwork you should request from the veterinarian.

  • SOAPS (medical notes)
  • Client communications
  • Surgery reports
  • Anesthesia logs
  • Dental Logs
  • Dental X-rays
  • All blood work results (results before the incident are also helpful to determine pre-incident baseline)
  • Medications prescribed
  • Hospital treatment sheets
  • X-rays of chest and or abdomen
  • Any advanced imaging such as CT/MRI
  • Board-certified specialist (Radiologist) reports
  • Referral information – Did the pet go to a specialty hospital? If so, obtain all those records too.
  • Any additional documents or information such as signed permission forms, informed consent forms, discharge instructions, and client handouts.

By law, you are entitled to receive your companion animal’s medical records within a reasonable period of time — typically three business days. Beware of excuses as to why you can’t have them or that there will be a delay. For example, “the doctor is out of town,” “the records need to be reviewed before we give them to you,” “we don’t keep those kinds of records” and many others. Typically, professionally operated offices will not hesitate to provide you with a copy of the records. They have nothing to hide.

When you meet resistance, consider that to be a red flag (in most cases) that there is more going on than what meets the eye. Unfortunately, when a practice realizes they may be under investigation for negligence or malpractice, they will hesitate to provide records and may actually falsify records in an attempt to cover up their malpractice. Sadly, we see this too often.

If you do not already have your records, and if possible, we suggest you visit the location where the records are kept. We understand that may be difficult in light of what just happened. Perhaps a relative or friend could obtain the records for you. In any case, be very even-tempered and unemotional, to the extent you are able, when requesting and obtaining those records. You are legally entitled to them, and don’t allow yourself to be told otherwise.

Once you have the records in hand, find a quiet area (i.e., in your car) to review the records. To the best of your ability, make sure the records are complete and accurate before you leave the premises, and that they reflect information supporting your claim of negligence or malpractice. For example, if the vet told you verbally that a surgical knot came loose and caused internal bleeding but that information is not reflected in the medical records, you should advise the staff that the records are incomplete. Taking care of these issues before you leave the vet’s office will make your records review with our veterinarian move along faster and provide an accurate opinion letter to use for the legal action part of the process.

If you obtain records by email or other method (not in person), please follow the same process. Review records and contact the veterinarian’s office if you find missing information. Ask them to send your revised records so that you can continue with the rest of the process.

What is a case review?

Legal action is going to require a Certificate of Merit before starting any case. We refer you to independent veterinarians who review your case and all documents, including the medical records you gathered. If the referred veterinary team finds negligence or malpractice after reviewing your case, they will write an opinion letter (also known as a “Certificate of Merit” depending on the state you re in). Pricing for a full review and opinion letter is drastically less than the $450 an hour with $3,000 retainer outside consultants in the public market may ask to proceed with a case. We hope this helps provide a means to get the answers you are seeking. Our referred veterinarians are highly experienced and specialized in various areas of expertise from cancer to equines and everything in between. We want to cover all bases and make sure nothing is missed. If negligence or malpractice is found, then your Certificate of Merit should be presented to the attorney who referred you to Joey’s Legacy or to another attorney of your choice. Our advocates are happy to speak with you and can make introductions and referrals, if you need to learn about other legal options. Generally, 85% of all cases settle out of court when an opinion letter exists. There may be an opportunity for punitive damages for fraud if you can prove the veterinarian falsified records or committed other acts of fraud. Please discuss this, and any other circumstances of your case, with your attorney.