The Importance Of Medical Documents In A Personal Injury Case

If you or somebody you care about sustains an injury caused by the negligent actions of another individual or entity in Kentucky, there is a good chance you will be able to recover compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. However, it is crucial to seek medical care. The best way to secure complete compensation after an injury occurs is to provide complete and accurate medical documentation for the insurance carriers or to your attorney in preparation for a lawsuit in civil court. Ask any Lexington personal injury attorney and they will tell you the same. 

Securing Compensation Involves Proving Damages

Securing compensation after an injury involves various elements. Typically, this includes proving that the at-fault party owed a duty of care to the injury victim and that they breached their duty of care in some way. If an injury victim and their attorney can show that the breach of duty caused the injuries, they must also show that they sustained some sort of “damages.”

Medical expenses constitute a range of economic damages that individuals can typically recover compensation for. However, securing any compensation involves proving the existence of the medical treatment. Without medical documentation, securing compensation for injuries is nearly impossible.

What Counts as Medical Documents?

Various types of medical documentation can help that person secure a settlement or jury verdict for their injury claim. This includes, but is not limited to, documentation of the following:

• Any initial emergency medical records (including ambulance care and the emergency room)
• Records from all follow-up doctor visits
• Proof of ongoing physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Documentation of any needed medical devices or prescription medications
• Proof of any necessary surgeries
• Documentation of mental health counseling

It can take some time to gather medical record documents together to secure compensation for an injury. The reality is that medical care can take a while to conclude after the initial incident. Sometimes, individuals require medical treatment for months or even years after the initial injury occurs. For catastrophic injury claims, it is not uncommon for individuals to need lifelong medical treatment, sometimes even ongoing in-home care.

However, claims must be settled at some point, even for injuries where individuals will need continued assistance. In these cases, the medical documentation could come in the form of medical experts providing their testimony about how much care is expected to be needed in the future.

If you have any questions about obtaining medical documentation while working to prove your injury claim, we encourage you to work with a skilled personal injury lawyer who can help you through every aspect of the process. These claims can be challenging, but a Lexington accident attorney can investigate your case, help you gather the necessary medical documentation, and handle all insurance carriers on your behalf.

How Much Compensation Will You Receive?

Ultimately, individuals should work to recover complete compensation for their medical treatment, including the cost of past, current, and future expected expenses revolving around the given injury. Additionally, other types of compensation could revolve around providing adequate medical documentation, including lost current earnings and loss of future earnings arising due to any disability as well as out-of-pocket household expenses.