The Importance of Medical Records in Car Accident Cases
A car accident can leave you with serious, potentially life-threatening injuries. To recover your medical expenses from the driver who caused the accident, you have to prove their negligence. Don’t discount the importance of medical records for your car accident case. They can substantiate your request for damages.Medical records also prove the ongoing costs of your injuries, which is key in determining the value of your case. Without them, your current and future medical bills could be undervalued, which would mean you are left with medical bills that should have been covered by your settlement or verdict. A car accident lawyer can help you avoid this costly outcome.
Collect Every Piece of Medical Documentation Related to Your Accident
Medical care after a Fort Lauderdale car accident attorney typically starts right at the scene and will continue throughout your recovery, perhaps lasting longer than the time it takes to settle your case. Because they are so plentiful, it can be difficult to compile every one of your medical records on your own.
When a car accident lawyer builds your post-accident case file, they will gather the following medical records and bills for you:
- Ambulance fees
- Emergency room fees
- Surgical procedures
- Prescription records
- OTC drug receipts
- Hospitalization records
- Rehabilitation records
- Therapy records
- In-home medical support
- Assistive medical devices
Medical records can encompass a wide range of documents—bills, test results, second opinions, medical expert testimonials, etc. Your lawyer will collect them from every medical professional, facility, and laboratory where you received treatment. While they do, you can focus on getting better.
Medical Records Prove the Cause of Your Injuries
The at-fault driver’s insurance company will require a plethora of documentation before making any settlement offer on behalf of their policyholder. That includes thorough documentation of your injuries and proof of their cause.If you request compensation for a broken bone or chronic back pain, your medical records can prove they were the result of the accident and, therefore, the at-fault driver’s responsibility. Medical records prove more than the cost of your car accident injuries. For example, your pre-accident medical records can be used to rule out pre-existing injuries. Medical records are important because they track your treatments and their costs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 2.1 million emergency room visits were triggered by a car accident in 2020. From that point, all subsequent medical records that relate to your accident are relevant to your case.
Your Medical Bills Are the Responsibility of the At-Fault Driver
When you seek compensation after an accident, you are required to prove the at-fault driver’s negligence. That can be hard to do on your own. If a lawyer handles your case, they will prove the at-fault driver:
- Owed you a duty of reasonable care
- Breached their responsibility to provide it
- Caused your accident and resulting injuries
- Caused negative financial consequences
Proving these required legal elements of negligence allows you to seek appropriate damages from the negligent driver. To prove them, your west palm beach car accident lawyer will collect evidence that includes your police report, witness statements, photos of the accident scene, and accident reconstruction reports.Your lawyer will compile this evidence for you rather than taxing you or your family with this potentially daunting task. They will also use the weight of the accumulated evidence to resolve your case with a settlement versus a lengthy trial.
Additional Compensation Your Lawyer Can Seek After the Accident
Medical bills are only one type of recoverable damage you can request from the at-fault driver and their insurance provider.
Additional economic and non-economic damages your lawyer will demand on your behalf can include:
- Lost income and loss of future earning ability
- Property damage, destruction, or diminished value
- Lasting physical disability and disfiguring injuries
- Physical, mental, and emotional pain and suffering
Depending on the toll the accident and your injuries took on your life and lifestyle, your lawyer will also demand compensation for your loss of enjoyment of life. Your lawyer will help you avoid a speedy but insufficient settlement and protect you from bad-faith insurance tactics.
Get Help Recovering Your Medical Expenses After a Car Accident
If you were injured in a recent collision, our law firm will explain the importance of comprehensive medical records for your Florida car accident lawyer case. Let our legal team explain how we use these and other records to achieve the best possible outcome for you. You do not have to pursue the at-fault driver on your own. Contact our case review team at the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato by calling (954) 633-8270 to get started today.
