How Soon Should Someone Seek Medical Treatment? What Could Be the Consequences of Waiting Too Long?
Waiting too long or seeking treatment too late can result in the insurer not agreeing to pay medical bills. Delaying treatment can result in making the plaintiff less believable as it relates to their pain or their injury complaints.
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to how long is too long. If someone who has been injured waits more than a month to seek treatment or follow through with any suggested medical treatment, pursuing reimbursement for that medical service or medical treatment will become much more difficult. Therefore, it’s always advised to follow the recommendations of your treating physicians.
What Happens if Someone Missed a Few of The Doctor’s Appointments?
Such acts of ‘negligence’ or carelessness are often used against a claimant. If someone is repeatedly seeing a chiropractor and over-treats with that chiropractor, the adjuster or the insurer is going to be suspect of that treatment as well.
What Mistakes Can People Make that Can Unintentionally Hurt Their Case?
Talking is something that can unintentionally hurt someone’s case, or hinder their ability to receive damages after they’ve been hurt. As the saying goes, loose lips sink ships. Your words can and will be used against you. Words can be taken out of context very easily.
In addition to what has been mentioned, there are a variety of other things that need to be addressed when someone has been injured in an accident. For example, in a worker’s compensation case, when the person goes to see an independent medical examiner, the doctor will inquire as to how they are doing. Some people may simply answer without thinking about it. They may say that they are doing fine, just as they would if anyone asked that question. However, that doctor can then put that answer in his report, even if the person wasn’t doing fine at all. Anything said can and will be documented.
Similarly, if the injured person is no longer working and their doctor asks them if they work, they should not simply respond by saying no. They should respond by indicating that they are retired because of the injury or explain that the injuries they suffered won’t allow him or her to work due to pain, etc.
Can Social Media Get Someone in Trouble in A Personal Injury Case?
Social media certainly can get someone in trouble while a personal injury case is going on. It can also be used against the other party in litigation. Every attorney now is actually looking at social media during the discovery process and before going to court. If an injured person says they were hurt or they’re complaining of a lot of pain, but on social media they are out boating and having a good time, it’s going to be used against them.
Attorneys use social media to look for certain things and it really can hurt a case. It’s not dissimilar to an insurer taking photographs of an injured worker out having a good time or moving heavy loads in the backyard while doing their landscaping, while at the same time claiming that they’re unable to work because their back hurts too bad.
It’s a horrible idea when you have ongoing litigation to post pictures of yourself having a great time, because it can be taken out of context. You might still be hurting but the picture is not going to reflect that. It is just going to reflect that you’re smiling and having fun.
If you need information about the Things to Take Care of in a Personal Injury Case, contact Dodds Law Office, PC for a free 30 minute consultation and get the information and legal answers you’re seeking.
