One of the most important steps you will take after being involved in an accident is seeking medical attention. Whether you were injured in a car crash, slip and fall, workplace accident, or any other incident, getting medically evaluated and treated is crucial not only for your health and safety but for your legal options as well. Ongoing medical care can serve as evidence for your claim or lawsuit. Missing medical appointments can seriously hurt your personal injury case, so it is important that you make an effort to follow your doctor’s advice. For more information and representation, reach out to a Monmouth County personal injury attorney today.
How Can Missing Medical Appointments Hurt Your Personal Injury Case?
If you are involved in a personal injury case, attending all medical appointments and abiding by the doctor’s order is critical. Consider the following reasons why.
- Undermines the severity of your injuries: When seeking justice and compensation for your injuries, it is important to establish the nature and severity to prove how your injuries have impacted your life and why you deserve the damages you are requesting. Insurance companies and defense attorneys will attempt to minimize the extent of your injuries to reduce the amount of compensation you are awarded or even deny your claim. By skipping medical appointments, it can seem like your injuries are not that serious or that you have already recovered.
- Weakens medical evidence: Evidence in the form of clear documentation is crucial during a personal injury claim. Medical records are influential as they provide an objective account of your injuries, treatments, side effects, and more. Each appointment creates a record of the progression of your injuries and links your ailments to the accident. Skipping appointments creates gaps in the documentation, which can weaken your evidence and make it harder to prove the severity and timeline of your injuries.
- Damages credibility: As the plaintiff, your credibility is crucial. You must be seen as a reliable and truthful individual in order for the insurance company, judge, and jury to take you seriously. Missed appointments can be viewed as evidence that your injuries are not as severe as you previously claimed or that you are not taking your recovery seriously. Perceptions like these can seriously hurt your case.
- Reduces compensation: The medical expenses and suffering that you incur are two of the most important factors affecting the amount of compensation you are awarded. When you miss appointments, it can reduce the amount of documented medical costs you have and lead a jury or insurance provider to believe that you do not need as much in compensation since your injuries were not serious enough for continuous treatment.
While missing one appointment could be explained away, continuously skipping medical appointments can send a clear sign that you do not need continued medical care and that your injuries are minor. This can significantly impact the outcome of your personal injury case.
For more information and to obtain skilled representation, reach out to an experienced attorney at The Wilton Law Firm today.
