To recover compensation after being injured in an Alabama car accident, you will need your medical records. Your medical records will be the main source of the evidence used in your case and serves as a good starting point for evaluating your claim.
If you are injured in a car accident, you will likely interact with several medical professionals during treatment. You will generate records from emergency services on the scene, the emergency room, and other medical professionals you visited during treatment. These medical records are yours and should be kept confidential, especially if the other driver’s insurance company requests them.
If you were injured in a car accident and need help collecting your medical records, our Alabama car accident attorneys can help you with your claim. For a free case review, call Howe Law today at (844) 876-4357.
What Medical Records Do I Need to Support My Car Accident Claim in Alabama?
To prove your car accident claim and recover compensation, you will need your medical records. Your medical records will often come from several sources, like the hospital that initially treated you, physical therapists, and other specialists that examined you. Each medical provider’s records will be critical to showing how your damages came about and your future prognosis.
Our Alabama personal injury attorneys can help obtain the many medical records you need to recover compensation for your claim. Your medical records belong to you, so you have every right to get them from the providers that treated you. The following are the types of medical records our team commonly uses in car accident lawsuits in Alabama:
- Ambulance and other Emergency Medical Services (EMS) records
- Emergency room records
- Hospital records
- Surgical records
- Diagnostic testing records, such as MRIs, X-rays, and CT scans
- Prescription medication records
- Physical therapy records
- Chiropractic records
- Independent medical examinations
- Records from other specialists
- Expert medical exams
You will need these records to establish the elements of your claim and determine an accurate value of your damages. Our Birmingham car accident lawyers can help you gather the medical records you need to recover the compensation you deserve.
How Can My Medical Records be Used to Support My Alabama Car Accident Claim?
Your medical records have many vital uses, and virtually no car accident can be won without them. If you were injured in a previous accident, your current medical records will be necessary to show that your past injuries are not responsible for the pain you are suffering. They also serve as the basis for the compensation you will claim in your lawsuit. Much of the financial damages you end up claiming will be from your medical costs. Our personal injury attorneys can help you obtain your medical records and make the best use of them in your case.
Proving Your Injuries Were Not Caused by Pre-Existing Conditions
Insurance companies and defense attorneys will pour over your history to see if you have had any other injuries that might help lessen liability. Fortunately, your medical records can firmly establish that your current injuries were caused by the accident in question. When a doctor examines you, they will ask about your medical history. If you have been injured in the past, your physician will take that into account as they examine your new injuries. Your doctor will typically be able to distinguish your current injuries from your past ones and conclude that the injuries that brought you in were caused by your car accident.
Even if you have been injured previously, that does not mean this car accident did not make those injuries worse. Your doctor can conclude if your injuries were exacerbated by the car accident you were just in, which will be noted in your medical records. The conclusions that the medical professional that treated you drew will be a primary part of your medical records and go a long way in proving your case.
Determining the Value of Your Case
Your medical records will also help our Birmingham personal injury attorneys determine an accurate value of your car accident claim. Medical records also include bills and invoices you receive from your providers. This provides a starting place to calculate your financial losses, but your future medical expenses must also be considered. When finalizing treatment or determining how long to extend it, your physician will provide their opinions on your future medical prognosis. Depending on the length of time for treatment, you could be entitled to high future medical costs.
Our personal injury attorneys have the experience to evaluate your current and future medical expenses properly so you recover the damages you are entitled to. In some cases, we might need to bring in a medical expert to support your claims for future medical costs, but this is a common practice where serious injuries are involved.
What If the Other Driver’s Insurance Company Wants Copies of My Medical Records?
After being involved in a car accident, it is not uncommon for the at-fault driver’s insurance company to reach out to the victim in an attempt to obtain their medical records. This typically comes in the form of a “medical release” requesting permission to gather or view their medical records. You should never sign this document. Indeed, it is wise to refrain from signing any documents sent to you regarding your car accident without first speaking with our attorneys.
The reasons an insurance company has for wanting your medical history are never in your interest. It is simply a tactic that gives them access to records that could help them escape having to pay out on a claim. While your medical records will need to be provided at some point to recover compensation, you should not do so without first consulting our personal injury attorneys. Our team can ensure that your medical records are not used against you to lower the value of your claim.
Our Alabama Car Accident Attorneys Can Help
If you were injured in a car accident in Alabama, our Alabama personal injury attorneys can help you gather your medical records to support your claim. Contact us at Howe Law by calling (844) 876-4357 for your free case evaluation.
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