The Importance of Medical Documentation in Personal Injury Claims

When you suffer injuries in an accident that was not your fault, you may have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit related to your injuries and the problems those injuries create. However, insurance companies will not issue a payout based on a vague description of your injuries. Official medical documentation in personal injury claims is vital to show proof of your injuries to the insurers.

Using Medical Documentation To Support Your Injury Claim

When making an injury claim, you may receive money for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Your medical records provide evidence to support your case for an award in all three areas.

• Medical bills: To receive reimbursement for your medical bills, your doctors need to show that the treatment was necessary and that your injuries originated from the accident.
• Lost wages: Medical documentation from your doctor can show that you were not healthy enough to return to work, helping you receive money for lost wages.
• Pain and suffering: A doctor’s opinion about physical and mental hardships related to your injuries from the accident is key to seeking a financial award for pain and suffering. If doctors believe you will recover quickly, you probably won’t have a chance to win as much as if the doctors believe you may have permanent disabilities due to catastrophic injuries.

Medical Documentation Can Support the Accident Details

If how the accident happened and who is at fault are in dispute, medical documentation in personal injury claims is crucial to establish a true account. 

Perhaps the person who injured you is claiming the accident happened in a way that would put who was at fault in doubt. However, the doctor’s exam of your injuries may show facts that prove the other person’s description of the accident cannot possibly be true.   Additionally, a consistent, truthful version of who that accident occurred found in the very first medical appointment can be persuasive evidence that you have never waivered, or changed anything, about how the accident happened. 

What Qualifies as Medical Documentation?

Multiple items qualify as the necessary medical documentation in personal injury claims, including the following:

• Tests like X-rays, MRIs, and other scans
• Your reported symptoms
• Any observations the doctor makes about your health
• A list of treatments the doctor prescribed or administered
• Photographs of your physical injuries
• A discussion with a therapist or psychologist about your mental state

All medical documentation is part of your medical record. These are statements and records that other doctors would refer to when taking over your case, making them official. This type of medical and treatment history is important for your overall health prognosis and any personal injury claims you make.

What Happens If Your Medical Documentation Is Incomplete?

If you sought medical care soon after the accident, you almost certainly will have all the necessary medical documentation for personal injury claims. 

However, if you wait to see a doctor, a common mistake in a personal injury claim, you may miss some key tests or lack a list of your symptoms.

It’s also possible that the doctor who saw you for your injuries did not order all the tests that are necessary for documenting your injuries related to the accident.

Either of these scenarios could leave your medical records incomplete. In this situation, your injury lawyers may need to rely on doctor testimony to show the severity of your injuries.

Contact Our Personal Injury Attorneys for a Consultation Today

Without seeing a doctor for a full diagnosis of your injuries from an accident that wasn’t your fault, you will have almost no chance of winning a personal injury lawsuit. Let our legal professionals explain the importance of medical documentation in personal injury claims. Call Fadduol, Cluff, Hardy & Conaway, P.C., today at 800-433-2408 for a consultation.