A Seattle Slip and Fall Lawyer Discusses Medical Treatment Records
Posted Tuesday, December 24, 2013 by Chris Thayer
When submitting medical bills, the supporting medical reports should accompany them. Your Seattle slip and fall attorney will need these records for submission to the insurance adjuster.
Importance of Medical ReportsUnless the appropriate reports are submitted with medical bills, it often happens that an adjuster will not consider the claim valid. Medical reports explain the charges shown on the invoices by specifying what treatments were given and when, what the physician diagnosed and the prognosis. If your Seattle slip and fall lawyer does not include these when he/she submits bills to an insurance adjuster, the adjuster may lack confidence in the charges shown as there is nothing to back them up. Thus, it is possible that those charges may be ignored or discounted.
Documentation Is a MustInsurance adjusters tend to regard claims with a certain amount of suspicion. They look for possibilities that the charges may be poorly founded, exaggerated or dubious. This has nothing to do with trust, nor does it reflect on your integrity or that of your Seattle slip and fall attorney. The adjuster is simply doing due diligence. Any settlement demand submitted that does not include documentation that validates the charges shown is likely to be viewed as questionable.
The Breakdown of ExpensesSince adjusters must reconcile a breakdown of expenses, as it may appear on a cover letter or in a settlement notebook binder provided by your Seattle slip and fall attorney, copies of bills referenced must also be included in the package. The adjuster is unlikely to have much confidence in a bill that is referenced but not physically documented.
The “Form” ReportWhen medical reports look like forms created and printed from a word processor, they do not inspire any belief in their validity. Adjusters who work with certain physicians and health care facilities routinely become familiar with the reports that are normally submitted. They are able to assemble a body of knowledge on these physicians and/or facilities and how they practice medicine. Your Seattle slip and fall attorney is well aware that when medical reports become identical with the only significant difference being the name of the patient, the claim becomes suspect.
Documentation of Lost WagesIf it happened that injuries sustained in a fall rendered you unable to work for a sustained period of time, your Seattle slip and fall attorney will require documentation from your employer specifying the time you were absent and any wages that you lost. This must be accurately reflected in the paperwork submitted with your settlement demand if the adjuster is to take it seriously without questioning the amount.
Be Sure Your Claim Is Well PresentedYou can avoid the pitfalls shown above with the guidance and assistance of an experienced, dedicated Seattle slip and fall attorney. Contact Chris Thayer by calling (206) 340-2008 today.