Semi-Truck Accident 101: What Every Passenger Car Driver Should Understand

Key Roles Your Physician Plays In Your Injury Case

18 June 2018 by Kenneth Graham

After you have been involved in an accident, one of the most important steps for you to take is to see a medical provider. Not only is a doctor an essential step towards restoring your health and returning a sense of normalcy to your life, but a medical provider will play an intricate role in your overall personal injury claim. If you don't think your doctor is an important part of the puzzle, learn the impact your doctor has on your claim. 

Health History

A medical provider will help you treat your injuries, but first, they will look to find the source of the concern. A part of the step often involves a health history evaluation. For example, if you are suffering new pain after an accident, but it's discovered that an injury from 10 years ago could be to blame, the provider will make this information available to the insurance company. 

If you did not share this injury with the insurance company beforehand, your entire claim for the injury could be in jeopardy. Keep in mind that a medical doctor must present honest information, so ensure you're equally honest. There is a possibility that the accident could have made the injury worse, but when you do not provide the information, it does make your integrity look questionable.   

Compliance

With many injuries, the goal of a provider is to see their patient get better. A part of accomplishing the goal rests on the shoulders of the doctor, but much of it rests on your shoulders.

You must make all your appointments, take medication as prescribed, and avoid activities that will make your injuries worse. When you do not follow the physician's guidelines, you are thought not to be compliant with the treatment. 

Just like health history discoveries, the doctor will inform the insurance company that you are not taking the right steps to improve your condition. Any such report will hurt your case.

In some instances, non-compliance might lower the value of your claim, and in others, your claim could be dismissed entirely. The main problem a non-compliant behavior creates is that it gives the insurance company the opportunity to argue that your injuries must not be as severe as you claim if you're unwilling to take them seriously.

Make sure you are not overlooking the real impact your medical provider will have on your claim. For more questions about your interactions with your doctor, don't hesitate to contact an attorney such as Cok Kinzler PLLP. 

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