Most of the time, if you’ve been in a car accident, the last thing on your mind is your legal claims against the person that caused your injury. But there are some things to remember, if you can, to talk to your doctor about when you treat that injury that can help your claim.
First, be a good historian. That means telling your treating physician, whether it’s the ER doctor, a chiropractor, family doctor or physical therapist your medical history as best you can. The better picture the physician has of your health history, the better decisions they can make.
Second, don’t leave out any details about your accident. Try to be as descriptive as you can about the pain you’re feeling, what it feels like, where it is, how often you feel it, and how intense it is. Tell your physician if you’re stiff and where, whether you’ve lost any range of motion or ability to do normal daily activities. I’m not suggesting that you overstate your injury; honesty is always the best policy. What I am suggesting is that you give your doctor as much information about your injury as you can.
All of these things are important for two reasons: One, it’ll help your doctor or doctors in their efforts to make you better. Two, it will help them, and probably later you or your lawyer, identify the cause of your pain or injury. That’s important because you can only make claims for injuries caused by another person’s negligence. While it may seem a simple matter of “car crash + doctor bills = claim”, that’s not always the case. There can be events in your past or delays in your treatment that might muddy those waters a bit.
If you’ve been in a car crash and need legal advice, we’ve got it. Give us a call at 502-633-6002 to set up a free consultation today.