If there’s one thing that’s common in the majority of personal injury claims and cases, it’s medical expenses. In an accident, there’s a probability of a victim suffering from at least a minor scratch. Whether it’s a small scratch or a fracture, it’s crucial to seek medical attention immediately.
Immediate medical attention has its own benefits. In addition to getting treated for your injuries, you also get a diagnosis on whether you have suffered any hidden injuries. Unlike other injuries, hidden injuries can wreak havoc at a later time.
There’s also the benefit of evaluating your injuries. Once you receive treatment, you’ll get an estimate of how much you spent and will probably spend in the future. It is important to learn more about medical treatments, as they can have an effect on your personal injury case.
Once you hire a personal injury lawyer, they’ll help you calculate the damages you can expect as compensation. But here’s the catch-insurance adjusters don’t consider all medical services to be the same. This plays a role when calculating the value of a personal injury claim. This article discusses a few factors that could make or break the medical expenses you’ll receive as compensation.
Treatment and Diagnosis
After an accident, the victim may suffer from minor or major injuries. Medical personnel don’t start treatment right away. They will run diagnostic tests to find out the issue and then begin treatment for it. When this happens, insurance adjusters usually group diagnosis and treatment as one and offer one lump sum for them.
However, there are chances that some medical personnel may conduct multiple diagnostic tests, making the victim spend a sizeable sum. When diagnostic tests take up a major portion of medical expenses, insurance adjusters may question the authenticity of the victim’s pain and suffering. This leads to the insurance adjuster using a lower multiplier when calculating medical expenses for a personal injury claim.
M.D.s and Non-M.D.s
Insurance adjusters won’t have any issues accepting medical bills from mainstream healthcare providers like physicians, hospitals, and medical clinics. No matter how huge the bills may be, insurance adjusters will consider the bills legitimate proof of treatment received.
The story with alternate medicine is different. Though they are effective and cost comparatively less, insurance adjusters often use a lower multiplier when including them in the total compensation. Also, keep in mind that insurance adjusters look down on those who lean towards alternate medicine for treating their injuries.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a common part of injury recovery. The duration of physical therapy will have an effect on compensation. Physical therapy prescribed and administered by the doctor’s office for a few weeks will be considered by the insurance adjuster. But they will include it along with other medical expenses.
On the other hand, you may have to go to physical therapy for a few months. It may also take up a decent chunk of your finances. In such cases, the insurance adjuster will use a lower multiplier.
There’s also another scenario. Your insurance adjuster will hesitate to deduct the costs incurred for therapy if you receive it from a doctor who didn’t prescribe it. Insurance adjusters justify this by claiming that some physical therapists take advantage of the situation and treat the patient for extended periods.
Also, don’t expect compensation for physical therapy that wasn’t recommended or prescribed by your doctor.
Duration of Treatment
Not all injuries heal in a fixed amount of time. Some injuries take time to heal, even with continued treatment for extended periods. There’s also the pain and suffering you’ll have to go through during this period. But if the extended therapy included treatment from specialists like chiropractors and massage therapists, insurance adjusters would be hesitant to compensate them.
Conclusion
Insurance companies don’t have the best interests of the victims in mind when calculating compensation. This is reflected in the paltry amounts they offer as compensation.
You’ll run out of options if you don’t hire an experienced personal injury lawyer for your personal injury claim. In addition to providing medical assistance, they’ll also help calculate a sum that compensates your injuries and losses.