Should I Release My Medical Records to the Insurance Companies?

If you sustain an injury caused by the careless or negligent actions of another individual, business, or entity, you want to do everything possible to recover compensation for your losses. At some point during your personal injury claim, you will have to release medical records to the insurance carriers so that they can process the claim and pay compensation. However, you need to be very careful when it comes to releasing medical records and signing documents surrounding the release of these records.

Why Does Anyone Need Your Medical Records?

If you have been injured as a result of the careless or negligent actions of someone else, the reality is that you will have to turn over some type of medical records at some point during the injury claim. In general, we will find that the largest portion of a personal injury settlement will revolve around medical bills. It would simply be unfair to ask insurance carriers to hand over a settlement without allowing them to substantiate the injuries caused by the other party.

Be Careful Signing Release Authorization Forms

When it comes to handing over medical records, we caution individuals to be very careful about what they do. When an insurance carrier begins digging for information related to the injuries or illness, they are going to ask the claimant to sign a release form that allows them to obtain medical records. However, injury victims should only sign over medical records related to specific time frames and treatment related to the actual incident.

Necessary Medical Records

There are certainly records that will have to be provided to the insurance carriers or for a personal injury jury to examine. Insurance companies will want to see x-rays if there were any broken bones, CT scans or MRIs that were conducted after the injury occurred, as well as documentation showing all medical treatment related to the injury. Any daily medical treatment provided during a hospital stay and all treatment required to help a person get to maximum medical recovery should be documented and turned over to the insurance carriers (medications, physical therapy, medical devices, etc.). 

Unnecessary Medical Records

There are various medical records that the insurance carrier does not need when they are working to substantiate your claim. However, you need to understand that insurance carriers are going to push to obtain all of your medical records if they can. In order to try to defeat your claim, insurance carriers will look at your entire past medical history if they can to try and find previous injuries or illnesses that could help explain your current pain and suffering. It is strongly recommended that accident victims do not provide insurance carriers with any type of medical documentation not related to the actual claim.

Contact an Attorney for Assistance

If you or somebody you care about has sustained an injury caused by another individual, business, or entity in Kentucky, you need to work with a skilled attorney as soon as possible. A personal injury lawyer in Lexington will advocate on your behalf, and they will make sure that you only turn over the medical records necessary for you to secure full compensation for your losses.