Three Tips for Keeping Track of Your Medical Records
Posted Wednesday, April 23, 2014 by Chris Thayer
The strength of your personal injury claim rests almost entirely on one set of documents: the documentation of your medical expenses. Without all of the relevant medical expense documentation, you and your Seattle personal injury attorney will have a monumentally more difficult time convincing the insurance company of your claim. If you do not have the documentation, the value of your case will be compromised, and your final settlement might not include payment for a substantial medical bill that you were counting on being paid.
When you are compiling your medical expense documentation, this checklist for you and your Seattle personal injury attorney might help you maximize the potential damages you can claim.
Obtain Copies of Your BillsThe process may be easier if you try to get copies yourself of your medical bills to pass on to your Seattle personal injury lawyer. This may require you to go to their offices in person to request copies. Your lawyer will want you to crosscheck all the bills you have with your own expense statements so that you can make sure everything was included.
Keep Your Own Expense RecordsYour Seattle personal injury attorney might give you an expense sheet to help you keep track of all your medical expenses, doctor’s visits and prescriptions filled. Be sure to fill out this sheet thoroughly and accurately with any expense you incur. Anything that you have to pay for related to your injury should be recorded in your records and included in your settlement request so that you can receive proper compensation for it. This record of your medical expenses will have a direct impact on the size of your final settlement.
Have Your Attorney Request Copies of Your BillsYour attorney might also take the step of writing to your medical providers and asking for copies of your medical records as well as your bills. Rather than write directly to your doctors, your attorney might instead write to the account manager or records department of the hospital or physical therapy department. Working with the medical records section will often be easier than going through your doctor.
For more information on what you should be doing to strengthen your personal injury case, get help from a Seattle personal injury lawyer. Call Chris Thayer at (206) 340-2008.