Mistakes To Avoid When Dealing With Your Doctor After A Personal Injury

There have been many cases when a personal injury victim has innocently ruined their case by saying or doing the wrong thing during their medical appointments. You may think you can trust your doctor and that they do not play a role in your case, but your doctor’s statements can significantly affect your compensation. 

Remember that everything you do or say at your doctor’s clinic is recorded in the documents created by your doctor. Your insurance company will go through these records and may use your mistakes against you in court. While you can take a few steps to avoid these mistakes on your own, a personal injury lawyer Wyoming will guide you at every step and may even be able to fix your errors. 

Let us look at some common mistakes. 

  • Not getting treatment immediately after acquiring the injury. 

Delaying a day or two is fine. However, if you do not seek medical help for your injuries soon, it may cause the insurance company to raise the argument that you were not severely hurt. Even if your injuries are not visible on the day of the accident or appear to be minor, you must still go for a check-up. Injury documents help prove your case and the extent of your damages. 

  • Talking to your medical provider about your legal case. 

Avoid discussing your legal case with your doctor. Your doctor must only focus on treating your injuries. You are not legally obliged to share the details behind the injury with them. Of course, some may ask how it happened. You may tell them a few details about how the incident occurred, but avoid sharing your concerns regarding the compensation and whose fault you think it was. 

  • Missing your doctor’s appointments.

After visiting your doctor for the first time after injury, they will suggest follow-up appointments. When you fail to meet your doctor on these specific dates, it gets documented in your chart, which reads “DNS” or “did not show.” While you may have good reasons for not going, even a single DNS can put you at a disadvantage. It may raise two points: 

  • You were not severely hurt. 
  • You did not care about getting treated.  

 

  • Not being honest about your past injuries. 

Some people do not disclose their medical history to the doctor for the fear that it may cause the insurance company to think that their injuries were pre-existing. However, doing this is a huge mistake, as your doctor needs to know your medical history to treat you. If you hide facts, they will eventually surface, which will only cause losses.