Medical treatment and related expenses are one of the most important parts of all personal injury claims. It is important that an injured person gets the proper medical treatment they need and continues to receive that treatment until the injury is resolved.
Understand the Injury
There are many different types of injuries and some heal much faster than others. During the initial examination, it is important for a person to get a good idea of what their injury is and what its recovery will require. This gives the person an idea of what their future will look like and also a plan for recovery and settlement.
Don’t Settle Too Early
There is pressure in a personal injury case to get some upfront treatment and examination and then settle the case based on only that treatment. This is one of the worst things a person can do. A rush to settlement often does not take into account ongoing or unexpected medical needs such as physical therapy. A person should continue to see a doctor or therapist for as long as it is needed. Keep in mind that full recovery from serious injuries can take months or even years of treatment. Settling too early means losing out on the damages for this treatment unless an attorney can successfully argue for future compensation. Medical treatment that has already occurred is easy to include in economic damages and is difficult to argue against.
Unexpected Injuries
Some injuries do not show up immediately, or they may lead to future complications. It is important to continue to see a doctor long enough to discover these unexpected health issues. Sometimes the possibility of issues will be known to the doctor during the first few examinations, but often these problems are unpredictable. If a person stops seeing a doctor too early, then they may not catch these issues or may not be able to accurately relate them to the accident or personal injury claim.
Pushing for Settlement
As long as an injured person continues to see a doctor, there is legal standing to delay settlement of a lawsuit or claim. As soon as a person stops seeing a doctor, there is a legal argument that they no longer need treatment and the claim can and should be settled. If there is any chance of ongoing injury or future injury, then a person will not want to stop seeing a doctor.
Dealing correctly with an injury is a very important part of any personal injury case. It is important not to rush or undercut recovery. Getting the most out of a personal injury claims is largely a matter of how treatment of the injury is handled. If you have concerns about the issue. Speaking with a layer is important when dealing with a personal injury, just as seeing a doctor is critical.