Your medical treatment as a result of a car or motorcycle accident may not be the only thing that you can be compensated for, but it is very likely the most important. The at-fault driver owes you for any medical expenses associated with the wreck, and sometimes insurance coverage is not adequate. To make sure that you don't end up owing the hospital, doctors, pharmacies, physical therapists, ambulance company, and others, you will need proof of your treatment. Read more about the importance of this form of damage and how to attain it.
Keep Up With It
If the other driver has insurance, you may have been fortunate enough to be under medical care without having to pay for any of it so far. While it may seem useless, it is actually in your best interest to keep up with the amount of your medical bills. In fact, keep your records and receipts and begin keeping a journal of the ways that the accident is affecting you. This information will become useful when you begin to seek damages not only for your medical expenses, but for your pain and suffering as well.
Pain and Suffering
This is one area of accident compensation that puzzles victims the most, but you are entitled to this form of damage and your medical records are prime proof. Most insurance companies (and personal injury lawyers) use a calculation to arrive at a settlement amount, and the sum total of your medical bills is the starting point of that calculation to arrive at a monetary number for pain and suffering.
Getting Those Records
You are entitled to your medical records, thanks to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). This act directs medical facilities to provide patients with a copy of their records within 30 days or show good reason why. Unfortunately, medical facilities can be busy places and you may encounter delays or confusion when attempting to access your records. If you do get the records, check them over carefully to ensure that they are complete.
Get Help
You can file a complaint if the medical facility fails to comply, but the process for resolving the issue can be lengthy, and a personal injury claim is a time-sensitive matter. To help ensure that you get the settlement you need, talk to a personal injury attorney or motorcycle accident attorney right away. They know what is needed for medical proof, and more importantly, how to procure it.