Whenever you’ve been hurt by another person’s negligence, you must have accurate records of the severity and impact of your injuries. By seeing a medical professional as soon as possible after you’re harmed, your personal injury medical records can show a direct connection between the accident and your injuries. Once you’ve got an initial diagnosis, following your doctor’s orders and keeping all your appointments is essential.

A Kennesaw personal injury lawyer from Piedmont Injury Law will help you collect, prepare, and present your evidence showing what happened and how you were hurt. The role of medical records in personal injury cases is one of the most important factors in successfully reaching a satisfactory settlement. Our goal is to maximize your compensation using our experience and skills.

Your personal injury medical records show the severity of your injuries

As legal professionals, we have managed many cases where clients initially felt fine or thought they only had minor injuries. Later, they discovered they had much more serious problems because the initial adrenaline from the accident masked some of their pain and symptoms. For many, subsequent doctor visits showed internal bleeding, traumatic brain injuries, or infections.

Properly valuing your personal injury claim requires gathering as much robust and high-quality evidence as possible to show the extent and impact of your injuries. For example, suppose you slip on spilled laundry detergent in a grocery store and thought you had only suffered bruising on your hip. Later, your doctor diagnoses a fracture that requires surgery using hip arthroscopy.

To avoid being left paying for future treatment out of your own pocket, your attorney will present a list of your personal injury medical records to negotiate an appropriate settlement that covers your costs. By keeping all your appointments, you ensure full diagnosis and allow your physician to estimate your projected treatment expenses.

Your personal injury lawyer will collect a variety of medical records to support your claim

To prepare a strong case, your attorney will educate you about the kinds of medical records they need for the best outcome. Essentially, they will try to collect information about all your treatments, scans, and other data showing what happened, your specific injuries, and your doctor’s recommended care. This can include items such as:

• Initial evaluation records: Paramedics may treat you if you were hurt in a car accident. If you’re transported to the ER, these records show your initial diagnosis, which sets a baseline for any further injuries that develop.
• Physician records: Seeing your doctor also creates further detailed documentation about the extent of your initial injuries and any infections or other conditions you suffer. These documents continue the narrative of how your condition has worsened or improved.
• Diagnostic scans and reports: By providing copies of X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans, your attorney provides hard evidence of fractures, bone breaks, traumatic brain injuries, and other conditions that may affect your quality of life and compensation needs.
• Treatment plans: In addition to demonstrating how you were hurt, your lawyer will gather your doctor’s treatment plans showing therapy, surgery, rehabilitation, medication, and any other care required to help you fully heal. This allows your attorney to support your compensation demands for future medical costs.

Insurance companies may attempt to minimize or deny your claim without this evidence. They may say you aren’t hurt that badly unless you can prove what you’re suffering and how much it costs. However, there is a fine balance between giving too little and too much regarding medical records, and your personal injury lawyer will advise you on what is best for your case.

Your personal injury medical records are vital to a successful claim

Many people make the mistake of avoiding going to the doctor after getting hurt. When they later discover they are more injured than they realized and that someone is at fault, they may have few options for paying the mountain of medical bills associated with their injuries. Instead of becoming a victim, get medical care immediately after a slip-and-fall, car accident, dog bite, or other personal injury.

Once you’ve seen your doctor, maintain your care and attend every appointment while you collect your medical records and associated receipts. Then, speak with a personal injury lawyer at Piedmont Injury Law in Kennesaw, GA, to learn more about how we can help you with your claim. We believe in fighting for the vulnerable and holding wrongdoers accountable.

Insurance negotiations can take many months, and you only have a short period of time to file if your case requires a personal injury lawsuit to settle. Rather than wait too long, contact us at (678) 909-0770  to request your free consultation with our team today.