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MAXIMIZE your injury case

How to MAXIMIZE your auto accident injury case SETTLEMENT and MINIMIZE your out-of-pocket medical EXPENSES!!

1. Whenever you are offered an ambulance ride at the scene of an accident, you should take it because your refusal will be seen as a denial of treatment or injury. When you refuse the ambulance ride, you are saying that you aren't injured or aren't injured that bad. Insurance companies may consider this mistake as a sign that your case isn't that serious.

2. When you get to the emergency room, be sure to tell the doctor about all of your injuries. Omitting any injuries will result in the insurance company not considering all of the relevant facts of your case. For example, If you hurt your shoulder but don't think it is as bad as your knee and so you don't mention it, and then later it is determined that your shoulder suffers from a torn rotator cuff, the insurance company may not consider it as a part of your claim and thus not pay a reasonable amount in settlement.

3. Whenever you start treatment with a doctor for auto accident injuries, be sure to tell the doctor how it was that you were caused to suffer the injury in your accident. If you hit your knee on the dash or smashed your shoulder on the steering wheel and you don't tell the doctor these specific facts, the insurance company may question and deny the relatedness of the injury to your accident because that's not what you told the doctor.

4. Always insist that you get a work status slip from the doctor at every appointment. That slip must tell you whether or not you can return to work with restrictions or not. Get this in writing and keep a copy of it in your files and send a copy of it to your insurance company AND send or hand deliver a copy to your employer. Lost wages need to be documented and doing this will help a lot in assuring you that the insurance company will take your claim seriously.

5. If the treatment you are receiving doesn't help your condition after a reasonable period of time, change doctors or get a referral to a new doctor or for a new treatment. If you treat with the same doctor or have the same treatment for too long without getting improvement, it will raise a big question as to the reasonableness of the treatment and could result in some treatment not being considered as part of the claim. "Over-treatment" of injuries is one of the biggest complaints from the insurance companies and this complaint can be detected if you have a second opinion from a qualified doctor who supports your continued treatment.

6. Treating with doctors that don't cooperate with you in writing reports for your insurance company can be one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Be sure your doctor is willing to help document your personal injury auto accident claim. The minute you learn that they don't or won't cooperate in supporting your claim against the insurance company, you must take steps to get away from this doctor and get your treatment with someone that will cooperate. Ask an attorney that handles these claims about your doctor's skill and likelihood of cooperation because sometimes your doctor won't tell the truth on this subject matter. They want to help you but they don't want to "hassle" with the insurance company. They will want to get paid for their treatment of your injuries but then they won't support you in your attempt to get paid for your damages. BEWARE OF THESE TYPES OF DOCTORS.

7. Learn how to properly document your medical claim in your personal injury case by reviewing and using our Lawyer on the Line free handout: "Checklist for Doctor's Appointments." This checklist tells you what you need to discuss with your doctor at each appointment in order to enhance the value of your claim. Insurance companies pay more for claims where they are completely documented and accurately described in your medical records and our checklist will help you do that.

8. ALWAYS CONSULT a lawyer who handles the type of claim you have early on in the process so you can learn what to expect and how to handle yourself with the doctors and insurance adjusters. This will help you learn early on how your particular claim will be valued and how you can enhance that value. Every case is different. Your education by an experienced personal injury lawyer as to what will enhance YOUR case is critical to maximizing your recovery at the end of the case and minimizing your expenses.

 


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