Your doctor’s opinion can play a powerful role in your personal injury case. It has implications for everything from the cause of your accident to the extent of your injuries and your need for ongoing treatment. Therefore, you want your medical provider to be fully informed so that their opinions and recommendations are well-founded.
That puts a lot of pressure on your interactions with your doctor. Because of this, you might be tempted to manipulate conversations in a way that supports your legal position. But you shouldn’t do that, as it will backfire when your doctor discovers that you’ve withheld or misconstrued information.
So, how can you interact with your doctor in a way that advances your claim? Let’s look at some of the mistakes that you can avoid that could jeopardize your claim, which should put you in a stronger position to advance your position in your personal injury case.
Mistakes to avoid when talking to your doctor after a car accident
If you trust your doctor, then you might feel comfortable confiding in them and having extensive conversations about your accident and your injuries. But here are some mistakes that you’ll want to be sure to avoid as you interact with your medical provider:
- Thinking that what you tell your doctor is confidential: Sure, some of your medical information will be confidential, but not if it’s going to be at issue in your personal injury case. Also, if you make statements about your role in the accident, then they’re likely to come out in court. Your doctor cannot keep these kinds of statements confidential like your attorney does through attorney-client privilege.
- Failing to disclose all your symptoms: It’s common for us to minimize the pain we feel or the limitations we’re experiencing, but you can’t afford to do that in your personal injury case. If you do, then you reduce your ability to prove the true extent of the harm caused to you by your accident, with can minimize your ultimate recovery. So, be open, honest, and thorough with your doctor. It might be helpful to keep a running log of all your symptoms so that you can more easily recall them when you meet with your medical provider.
- Failing to discuss work: If you think your injuries are too severe to continue with work, then you need to tell your doctor. They might be willing to write a note indicating that you’re too injured to work, which will give you time to recover and lay a foundation for seeking lost wages through your personal injury claim. We understand that work can provide you with a sense of normalcy, and it might feel like a safe place during a chaotic time in your life, but you don’t want to push yourself at the expense of your recovery and your health.
- Exaggerating your symptoms or your injuries: If you try to play up your injuries and the impact they’ve had on you, then you might be called out for dishonesty during your personal injury case. This won’t play well with the jury, and it could cost you significantly. The truth always comes out in these cases, so it’s best to be honest up front.
Zealously advocate for what you deserve in your personal injury case
The outcome of your personal injury case is going to have a tremendous impact on the trajectory of your recovery and your financial future. Therefore, it’s imperative that you do everything you can to position yourself for success. That means gathering evidence, researching the law, and crafting persuasive legal arguments. By being thorough, you’ll hopefully obtain an outcome that secures accountably and much needed compensation.
