Medical Records Provide Crucial Evidence in Auto Injury Cases A review of the relevant medical records becomes necessary to understand the actual nature of the injury and how it could have led to the handicap. Reliable evidence is indispensable to proving an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. Medical records and medical bills of the injured person are crucial because they are the main evidence of the injuries sustained. Auto accidents are one of the most common reasons where people get injured, fatally or otherwise for which injury claims are filed in court. Defective cars that lose power and crash and also fail to deploy their airbags result in passengers getting injured. It is difficult to claim damages from auto manufacturers because the lawyer arguing the case would have to prove that the injury sustained by the passenger was indeed caused by some defective unit in the car, and that the injury was serious enough to lead to death of the passenger or him/her acquiring some serious handicap. Medical Record Review to Identify Vital Aspects of the Case Take the case of an auto accident in which the automotive caved in on the family inside, injuring two of them and leaving one of them a quadriplegic. A lawyer fighting this case in court will have to prove that the victim’s spinal cord broke when the roof caved in on her, and not due to some other reason. A review of the relevant medical records becomes necessary to understand the actual nature of the injury and how it could have led to the handicap. In any personal injury case, the relevant medical records would include:
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The detailed description of the injuries
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The treatment recommended by the treating physician
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Pain and other discomfort experienced by the injured person
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The impact of the injury, its seriousness and consequences
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Recovery time
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Medical treatment recommended in the future
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Estimated medical bills
In the case of a car accident victim, his/her personal medical history is important as regards the outcome of the case. Any previous injuries from earlier car accidents also assume significance because if they have been made worse by this accident, the plaintiff could claim more money. Among the various medical documentation, ER records and the treating doctor’s notes are very important since these contain information regarding the plaintiff’s condition immediately after the injury. Confusing and erratic information in these records may make it difficult for the insurance company to arrive at a just decision. Here, personal injury lawyers review the available information to spot discrepancies and misleading information. Medical Record Organization and Summary Services for Lawyers Lawyers handling cases such as the above depend on reliable medical review services for purposes such as medical record organization and indexing, preparation of medical case history and summary, and an accurate medical chronology. Now, this is very important to understand all aspects of the case and develop an effective argument. Precise and concise summaries save considerable time and effort for busy lawyers who benefit from all the required information in a convenient format. Usually, the insurance company also requests for the medical records of the claimant to find out if the claim is valid. They also review the medical chart to ensure that the claimant is telling the truth. If he/she has not been truthful with their doctors or overstated their injuries, the insurance company lawyer will use it against the plaintiff during the settlement process.