Medical Records Following a Car Accident can occur anytime and anywhere in just a fraction of a second, rendering the victims significant injuries that may sometimes become life-changing by becoming permanent disabilities which need continued medical treatment and attention, explains Baer Law Firm. Once the initial shock wears off, one of the first steps to recovering both physically and financially after a car accident is to document medical care accurately and thoroughly. They help guarantee you receive the appropriate treatment, they put on record how severely you’re injured and they provide evidence for your personal injury case. Today, we are going to tell you why medical records should not be taken lightly after a car accident case and how they affect the case.
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Listing the Extent of your Injuries
Right after a car accident, you may not be aware of the depth of your injuries. Whiplash or internal trauma injuries may not show symptoms for hours, days, or even weeks. Medical records serve as documentation of every single injury that you have, no matter how small it is. If you go to a doctor or an emergency room, the physician will evaluate your status and must document what injuries you have. It is the foundation of your treatment and sets out a timeline detailing when and how your injuries occurred. Delaying medical treatment makes it more challenging to establish that you were injured due to the accident.
Supporting Your Personal Injury Case
One of the most valuable pieces of evidence in a personal injury claim is medical records. After a crash, you will likely be seeking payment from the other driver’s insurance for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering and property damages. Insurance companies tend to want hard evidence that your injuries were the direct result of the accident, and medical records are just that.
Causal connection between the accident and your injuries
If you had pre-existing conditions before the car accident or waited a significant amount of time before seeking medical care, then insurance companies and defense attorneys will likely argue that your injuries were not caused by the car accident. The medical records substantiate how your injuries relate directly back to the accident.
Assessing The Full Impact of Your Injuries
Physical injuries may not just be your recent medical expenses. It would also tell the court how these affect you for a longer period and even impact your life after the accident, hence affecting your quality of life. Evidence showing that your injuries have lasting effects, requiring further treatments like physical therapy or rehabilitation and the possibility of future surgeries can also be helpful, which you can obtain in medical records.
Proof Relatedness of an Expert Opinion
In certain personal injury matters, expert witnesses are necessary, like medical professionals who may need to testify in court. Your medical records can be utilized to substantiate the testimony that your healthcare providers may give if your case is tried. It can give the judge or jury an idea of how bad your injuries were, what medical treatment you needed, and the possibility that you may continue to have health problems affecting your lifestyle.
Well after a car accident, having extensive and well-documented medical records on your injuries is extremely critical. These records do even more than prove your injuries and their relevance to the incident, but will also substantiate your personal injury claim so that you can be properly compensated.
If you have been injured in a Des Moines car accident, speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer to obtain the appropriate medical records and protect your rights during the legal process.