- Car Accidents
Questions such as which medical bills can your claims, and should you use a Fayetteville automobile accident lawyer are pretty common after a car accident. There’s no telling what could happen with your insurance company, the other driver, or their insurance. With so many pieces up in the air, you need some light shed on what to expect and what you can actually do.
Get that right here where we cover the different medical bills you should expect the at-fault driver’s insurance to cover. Georgia relies on a comparative fault system, and that means that the at-fault person should take on the bulk of the responsibility for resolving the financial setback of these accidents.
Understanding and Proving Medical Need
You should always go to a doctor straight away after an auto wreck for a few reasons. You really want to esnure that you’re okay. You also want to have access to a medical opinion without any hesitation. There’s nothing that can keep you from seeing a doctor, and there’s no excuse not to do it.
When you file a claim with medical bills or treatment such as chiropractic care, you’ll need to prove medical need. That medical need must come from a doctor. You cannot simply decide that you’re sore and go to a masseuse. Seeing a doctor is step one, then you’ll go through a process of ensuring that your injuries require medical treatment.
Some soft tissue injuries only need rest, ice, or heat. To that extent, the only medical bill you should have is for the initial visit. However, an injury such as a broken bone will clearly have to follow up appointments, and various procedures to ensure the recovery goes as planned.
Do You Get to Include Surgeries, Follow-up Appointments, and Alternative Treatments?
To some extent, yes. If the doctor confirmed that your injury is a direct result of the car accident, then you can claim any bills that come as a result of that injury. That includes any surgeries, all follow-up procedures or appointments, and even medication. To some extent, you can claim your travel expenses if you have to travel to see a doctor that can address your injuries.
When it comes to alternative treatment for muscle injuries, there’s a bit of a grey area. Chiropractic care, for example, is often covered when a doctor deems it necessary. It’s become a very common course of treatment for soft tissue injuries that require more than a little rest.
However, for things like spa retreats, massages, and yoga aren’t likely to get covered without strong medical evidence that it was necessary. It’s more likely that you’re to get sent to a rehabilitation facility that offers these treatments in addition to traditional therapies as part of a whole or inclusive program.
Old Injuries Aggravated by the Wreck
There is some trouble in getting medical bills covered when they’re related to an old injury. For example, if you previously had knee surgery and experienced extensive knee trauma in a wreck, there might be some argument that the insurance should cover the costs. You’ll need to work with crash recreation experts, and medical experts to explain that your knee was fully recovered
Claim Settlements and Court Options after a Fayetteville Automobile Accident
A Georgia car accident attorney should carefully review all of your settlement and court options. When you’re making medical claims, the insurance agency may be reluctant to offer a reasonable settlement. They may try to argue that there wasn’t enough reason for you to go through the medical procedures that you had.
In the event that you can’t get a fair settlement, you need to consider moving forward into a court case. Upon filing a formal lawsuit, you have more options and the possibility of obtaining a higher compensation amount. However, there’s also the risk that the judge or people involved won’t award you anything. It’s a risk, but your lawyer should help you calculate the need, and cost, of that risk.
When choosing between the two, carefully work through the expense and time involved in going to court versus taking a settlement. Even if you only cover the bare minimum of your medical treatment, it may be a better option.
Should You Reach Out to a Fayetteville Automobile Accident Attorney?
Wade Law works throughout Fayetteville, GA, to give victims a voice in car wrecks. Because car accidents are so common many insurance companies write off any medical claim as an excuse to get a check. We know that’s not true. Get guidance on how to claim all of the medical bills that came from your crash at our Fayetteville automobile accident law firm.
