PERSONAL INJURY Insurance corporations are structured to recognize only diagnosed injuries found in your medical records. If your injuries and the real life impact of your injuries are not written in your medical records, the injury will not be considered in computing your settlement. It is imperative each injury is communicated to your doctor and more importantly, your doctor writes each injury on your medical records. The information you relay to your medical provider and what they write on your medical record has a significant Impact to your settlement amount. For example: You injure your neck and shoulder in a collision. While visiting a medical provider, your neck is diagnosed as an injury on your medical records, but your shoulder is mentioned ONLY as a radiating symptom of the neck pain. [Therefore each injury is not memorialized]
The neck will significantly increase your settlement amount and the shoulder will not be considered and have no effect on your settlement amount.
Every visit should reflect each complaint. A thorough examination should indicate each injury. If you note pain, the Medical Doctor/Chiropractor/Physical Therapist, etc. must write that pain is radiating into each injury.
If your medical records reflect ongoing complaints and treatment with progressive improvement, your settlement amount will increase. Be aware that medical doctors are considered more important than chiropractors.
Any delay in seeking treatment or any gap in the treatment regimen must be substantially explained in your medical records.
Home exercises must be memorialized in your medical chart notes. Any equipment or devices such as a sling, cane, ace bandage, cast, etc. must be found in your medical records. Medications must be mentioned in the medical chart notes. The prescription or use of a Tens Unit must be documented in your medical notes. Anything, which has an impact in increasing your settlement amount, must be documented in the records, as well as duration of bed rest.
**ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY YOUR DOCTOR WRITES IN YOUR MEDICAL NOTES**
Duties Under Duress; Loss of Enjoyment of Life; AMA Impairment rating
Duties under duress are areas of your life which acknowledges your day to day living duties, which become painful or difficult as a result of your injuries. These could be any type of household and/or work responsibilities. For example, vacuuming, picking up the children, dusting, and preparing dinner or any other domestic responsibilities. The difficulty and reason for the difficulty in performing the duties and the duration MUST BE DOCUMENTED ON YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS!
Loss of Enjoyment of Life encompasses your areas of life which you would normally have enjoyed had you not been injured. This includes athletics, vacationing, entertainment and socializing. The activity can be informal, amateur, competitive, semi-professional and professional. Your activities and the duration from refraining from those activities MUST BE DOCUMENTED ON YOUR MEDICAL RECORD!
AMA Impairment Rating. Your M.D. will be able to perform an American Medical Association whole person impairment rating for you. If your injury concerns your spine or connective soft tissue, a digital motion X-ray will be conducted and a board certified Radiologist will compute the impairment rating.
The impact of your medical records is the most important element when the insurance companies’ decide how much your case is worth. To that end, a direct correlation exists between what is in your medical records and the settlement offer. Due to the importance of communicating how your injuries are affecting your life to your medical providers, please do not hesitate to contact this firm with any questions.