Accidents tend to trigger a number of medical expenses. In addition to the initial costs of treatment in an emergency room, you might also need care from surgeons and other medical specialists and physical therapists. Some accident victims require special medical devices to assist with their long-term care and others need ongoing follow-up visits to assess their recovery. Each of these services and products have a price tag – usually a hefty one – and the bills tend to come at a time when your focus must be on health and recovery.
If you are injured in an accident, the cost of your care and recovery is not your responsibility, but it might seem so as you receive harassing calls from doctors, hospitals, and medical companies. The people calling you want to be paid for their products and services and they give little attention to what caused your need for these things. Fortunately, it is possible to protect your well-being and fend off these aggressive advances by working with a personal injury attorney.
Your Personal Injury Claim
When you are injured in an accident, you file a bodily or personal injury claim with an insurance company. In addition to the cost of medical care, this claim also includes expenses related to your injury, such as lost wages. In nearly every case, a person’s medical bills and other easily calculated expenses that occur from an accident are covered by the claim. However, it can take time to complete the process and on some occasions, there is dispute over what the insurance company views as medically necessary.
Another important aspect of your personal injury claim is future considerations. Depending on the type and extent of your injury, your rehabilitation could go on for years. You could suffer side effects on an ongoing basis or experience an increased risk for a medical problem down the road as a result of the injury.
These things need to be taken into account when filing your claim. Just because a medical problem is not immediate does not mean it will not arise in the future and if it is due to the accident that caused your injury, you are entitled to financial support. If you experience a medical problem related to your injury 10, 20, or 30 years down the road, it is not possible to re-open the claim or ask that your award be increased.
Working with a personal injury attorney is the best way to ensure you are protected when you are hurt in an accident. He or she understands how to protect your best interest and ensure you receive what you deserve. Working with an attorney also allows you to focus on health and healing, while he or she does the hard work of dealing with medical offices, insurance companies, and other lawyers.
Have you been injured in an accident? Are you unsure where to turn for support and guidance? Contact Miller and Steiert, P.C. to discuss your options and find the help you need to deal with your situation.
