Most people know that car insurance can help them cover financial losses caused by a wreck. However, some crash victims also make mistakes that limit their ability to access that coverage. For example, all too often, people delay or even forego medical care when they have sustained serious injuries related to a recent collision.
They may not understand that the timing of their claim and the records that they maintain are of the utmost importance in re: their ability to connect with insurance coverage later. There are certain steps that crash victims can take to better ensure that they receive the compensation to which they are entitled.
Obtaining copies of medical records
Official documentation from medical facilities is often the most important element involved in proving someone’s injury after a car crash. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), patients typically have a right to request copies of any relevant medical records from any care providers. In some cases, there may be a cost associated with physically printing the records, but the patient should have the right to get copies even if they have to pay for them. Those records will often be the cornerstone of a future injury claim.
Keeping an injury journal
A diagnosis is only one form of evidence that helps validate someone’s need for compensation. Proving the severity of an injury and how it affects someone on a day-to-day basis may require far more detailed records. Keeping a journal that discusses someone’s pain levels and daily symptoms could be very useful for those who can no longer perform household tasks and who have debilitating ongoing symptoms associated with their recent car crash injuries.
If someone wants a journal to serve as evidence in civil court, the entries typically need to include details including the time, date and location of the incident as well as information about what transpired as possible. The more thoroughly someone’s journal explores their symptoms and their medical records detail their treatment, the more useful those records will likely prove as they pursue an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit against the driver at fault for the collision.
Gathering and maintaining records can play a significant role in reducing the financial consequences that a crash victim may incur following a major wreck. Seeking legal guidance can allow a victim to better understand any additional steps they should take to preserve their interests accordingly.