What happens next?
This is Richmond personal injury lawyer Wayne O’Bryan. I often hear this question from new clients that were in a car accident. They want to know what to do now.
I always tell them that they need to get back to their pre-accident state of health. The first part of any bodily injury claim involves trying to fix the injury. That means going to see the doctor and physical therapist.
The doctor reports in his notes on what happened to you in the accident. The doctor’s records are a record of your injury and treatment. The doctor bills help to establish a baseline value for the claim.
You should treat until you are back to your pre-accident condition. Do not try and over treat. Particularly bad versions of over treatment could be seem as insurance fraud. That is a serious crime.
Also do not under treat. Recover from your accident related injuries before settling your case. This is your chance to get the car insurance company to cover your medical bills. They will not pay any more for your claim once your case settles. The more bills you have the more your claim is worth.
The best case scenario is that you return to the exact state of health you were in before the accident occurred.
One thing that will ruin your case is waiting too long to treat. Get treatment as soon as possible. Large gaps in treatment are not good for your case.
Also make sure your health insurance covers your medical bills. That way the car insurance money goes in to your pocket instead of paying medical bills. If you get a doctor bill send it to your health insurance right away.
Your lawyer’s work begins after you stop medical treatment. The lawyer gathers your medical information and submits it to the insururance company. Then negotiations begin for a fair settlement.
If you have any questions about your Virginia car accident call me at 804-643-4343. I’m a nice guy who wants to make a difference in your life.