Medical Care After an Annapolis Car Accident

Failing to follow doctor’s orders and follow up with medical treatment after a car accident in Annapolis is problematic for a number of reasons. An Annapolis car accident attorney can help an individual determine exactly how to follow up on their treatment, but it is generally important not to neglect it.

Importance of Medical Advice

One reason it is important to follow up on treatment is just from a personal standpoint; a person should seek and follow the advice of a medical professional so that they can recover from their injuries as best as possible and to the extent possible in a timely manner.

There is also a notion in the law that says not follow doctor’s orders, recommendations, treatment plans, and actual treatment, will have an effect on collecting damages.

If someone does not follow up on their care, if they stretch things out, if it causes a worsening of the condition or greater monetary damages, then the insurance company lawyers are going to make the argument that they are not responsible for the greater injuries or the increased cost due to their failure to mitigate their damages. It is important personally for the individual to pursue proper care and follow recommendations to aid and assist in the best recovery of their injuries. The individual does not want to legally jeopardize their case in terms of being able to pursue every damage rightfully and properly and recover for the damages that could be properly associated with their claim.

Potential Impact on a Claim

Failing to properly follow a doctor’s order or follow up with medical treatment can give reasoning to the insurance company and their lawyers that an individual is not seeking medical treatment for their injuries because they are not hurt. The insurance company will argue that later treatment should then be considered not caused by the accident and caused by something else—whether it is a previous condition or degenerative condition. The insurance company and their lawyers argue that if someone is injured, they are going to seek treatment and continue that treatment consecutively until they are properly recovered from those injuries.

There are practical implications for the individual, due to the type of injuries and the practicality of having to continue to earn a living to pay their bills, which sometimes can interfere with being able to get the treatment in as timely a manner as might be recommended. That is a valid reason, but the individual should still do whatever reasonable to obtain the treatment.

If someone does not have medical insurance, the expense can also be prohibitive and unaffordable. In these cases, the cost of medical care will simple be part of the damages of a case. If it is difficult to afford the necessary treatment, then the damages sought in a case will be to obtain the care in the future that is necessary to help alleviate the symptoms and injuries and to be able to obtain the proper and necessary treatment.

In general, even if someone has insurance, there are high deductibles and co-pays, which may be prohibitive—and again, that is part and parcel of the damages of the claim—but, it is important to obtain the reasonable and necessary treatment in as timely a manner as possible as can be afforded under the circumstances.

Reasons People Fail to Follow Up

When someone is involved in an accident their life does not stop. Their life continues and so they have work responsibilities, family responsibilities, and other life responsibilities. When someone is involved in an accident, it becomes a complete and utter inconvenience and disruption of normal life activities. Those responsibilities do not go away just because someone has been involved in an accident.

A busier person with more responsibilities is going to have to try to cope. Even someone who is not busy has to try to fit all of the now-required hospital, doctor, and physical therapy specialist visits into their schedule. Transportation can be an issue if they have limited mobility or there can be financial constraints in terms of taking off work and not earning income, especially without other sources to supplement or substitute in the meantime. There is a burden placed on family members and other workers. There is the threat of losing a job because the individual cannot attend it. All of these play into the ability to handle these inconveniences and the disruption of one’s daily life and responsibilities.

That is in itself damage in the case. All of the disruption to not only the individual, but to others, caused by the accident—what they are not able to do, the effect that the injuries have, and the missed time from work due to limitations and medical visits—play into the damages that have been incurred as a result of the accident. It is important to act reasonably in terms of seeking appropriate care and following the advice of the providers within the proper limitations of the other life responsibilities.