Keys to Getting Medical Treatment for Your Injuries
Whether you’re in a car accident or have a worker’s compensation claim, you will need to work with your doctors to recover and to document your injuries. Here are some keys in choosing and working with your doctor:
RESEARCH YOUR DOCTOR
- Examine your doctor’s credentials: Check their Medical school, where they interned, what hospitals they’re associated with and are they board certified.
- Do they work alone or with other doctors? If they work alone, who covers for them when they’re unavailable?
- Are they a general doctor/family physician or a specialist?
- Does anyone you know have any experience with the doctor? Does the doctor have any testimonials?
- Does the doctor do research?
TELL YOUR DOCTOR YOUR FULL HISTORY
Doctors normally take an oral history before they physically examine you.
- Tell the doctor all your aches and pains.
- Have a preset list of questions so you don’t forget to ask anything. Put your questions in writing and bring the written list with you.
- Ask about the diagnosis (what’s wrong), the prognosis (what’s likely to happen; will you get better?) and treatment (what can you do to get better?). Get written instructions for any treatment.
- Know that you’re the client – the doctor is there to help you.
- Consider having a family member of friend be with you during the examination.
DON’T DELAY
- See your doctor as early as you can. Get treatment the first day you have pain, not the second.
- Delay can directly your ability to recover.
- Delay can be seen as a sign (to insurance companies and opposing lawyers) that you’re not really hurt.
HOW OUR FIRM CAN HELP
Anyone who has been in an accident because of someone’s carelessness or because of a worker’s compensation case, and who has received injuries, needs to have legal help. Contact Virginia and North Carolina Injury Lawyer Joe Miller online or 888-694-1671 for more information on how to proceed, how to work with your doctors, and whether you might have a significant recovery of money coming your way.