Don’t Make These Mistakes When Dealing With Doctors After an Accident

Every year, three million Americans get into car accidents. The most common injuries that people receive from car accidents include whiplash, brain injuries, back injuries, burns, and broken bones. In some cases, this can leave you without work. Because of someone else’s carelessness, you lose future wage earnings.

To ensure that you get your rightful compensation, you have a few stumbling blocks to avoid when you deal with doctors.

Failure to Visit Immediately

Too many people don’t go to the doctor right away. Even if you suspect an injury, you should see a doctor. This provides the necessary medical documentation to hold up in the courts if you file a lawsuit. When people don’t visit the doctor right away, the insurance companies can argue that your injuries happened because of something else.

The other thing that they might say if you don’t visit the doctor right away is that you obviously didn’t suffer enough harm from the accident to deserve compensation.

Doctors Aren’t Lawyers

Don’t take legal advice from a doctor. Doctors treat your injuries and nothing else. Their legal counsel could steer you wrong, and many doctors don’t like getting involved in lawsuits. If you mention it, it can cause them to not provide you with treatment. Don’t make statements to the doctor that could hurt your case. Whatever you tell a doctor has confidentiality. Once you have made a personal injury claim, however, that confidentiality goes out the window. Although it is advised to seek the help of a lawyer right away, you can find out more about how personal injury lawsuits work.

Unable to Work? Tell Your Doctor

Many people don’t mention this to their doctors, but if you have wounds that stop you from working, tell this to your doctor. You want a written record of it because this can help your case.

Stick with What You Know

When the doctor asks you about the accident, they might hand you a form to describe in detail what happened. Many times, car accidents happen so fast that the facts become obscured. Even here, you must remain vigilant about what you say about the accident. Stick only with what you know for sure. You might feel 100-percent certain that the other party was at fault, but the wrong details can rip apart your settlement.

Let’s have a closer look. You believe that the car hit you at 50 mph. The high emotions at the time made it seem like this. Later, the evidence suggests that you were only hit at 20 to 30 mph. The lawyer from the opposing insurance company will have a field day as they rip your credibility to shreds. The point is that you should never speculate, not even if asked by the doctor. If you don’t know, tell them this. You want the information as factual as possible.

Ignoring Depression or Anxiety Related to the Injury

The psychological aspect deserves as much attention as the physical. Many people who become disabled because of a car accident or in chronic pain can start to feel depression and anxiety. Never let the other party off the hook for the psychological end of your injuries. Have a medical professional diagnose and document this. Otherwise, you won’t receive help for it.

Hopefully, understanding what not to do with a doctor can help to ensure that you get the most from your settlement. Insurance companies will do their best to get out of paying even for minor claims. In some cases, the other party can spin innocent things to make you look bad or damage your chance at a fair settlement. Even with the doctor, you have to exercise caution with what you say. After you file a personal injury claim, you no longer get the same privacy.