Post provided by Peter Nero, head blogger for Accidents.com – Help for Accident Victims.
If you’ve been harmed in an accident and find yourself in the middle of a personal injury case with an accident lawyer, you’ll likely be seeing the doctor quite a few times in the coming months. Before visiting, there are several things you should know to not only help you get the best care available, but also help the outcome of your personal injury case.
But it’s not just knowing what to do…it’s knowing what not to do as well. Take a look at some of the top things you should know when visiting a doctor during a personal injury case:
- Do your background work – If seeing a specialist for your injuries, request your medical records from your general practitioner.
- Your new doctor will want to see everything – MRIs, x-rays, and most importantly, your full medical history. If you have a copy of the police report filed with your accident, bring that as well. You can never give too much information.
- Visit on a regular basis – Most of the time, going to just the first appointment won’t be enough to ensure to help you get better. Listen to the doctor and visit he or she on a regular basis to ensure you’re healing properly from your injuries.
- Don’t act tough – We can’t stress this enough. Make sure
you tell the doctor everything. Let them know the specific details of your injury and how it happened, as well as all of your pain and symptoms. Now’s not the time to act macho or downplay what you’re really feeling. Insurance companies will give you a smaller settlement if certain things aren’t listed in your medical records. - Be thorough – The doctor will ask you several questions about your injuries to determine the best course of treatment. These questions usually fall in four general areas: Location of the pain – Where does it hurt? Extent of the pain – How long have you been feeling this way? Frequency of the pain – How often are your symptoms present? Severity of your pain – On a scale of 1 to 5, how much pain are you in because of your accident?
- Ask questions – It’s important you understand how you’re being treated and why. Don’t be afraid to ask questions like: What are my treatment options? How long will treatment take? How much does each course of treatment cost? When can I expect to be fully healed?
- Make copies of everything – Make copies of all medical records, medical bills (for office visits, physical therapy, prescriptions, etc.), and expenses associated with it. If applicable, you should also keep track of how many days of work you miss due to your injuries.
Knowing each of these things before visiting the doctor can make big steps toward ensuring you get the insurance settlement you deserve.