SERIOUS injuries can significantly change a person’s life. They affect one’s relationships with family, friends and co employees. They affect the ability to do one’s job, earn a living and pursue and enjoy life’s basic activities.
There is a wide range of medical issues that can arise from an accident. Whatever one’s condition might be, it is important to immediately seek medical treatment to restore ones’ health and capacity to live fully. Hence, there is a need to obtain, not simply medical treatments, but the right medical treatments.
Whether you have been brought to the ER or are seeing your own doctor, you must cooperate fully with your attending medical provider. Speak completely and honestly about your pains and concerns. Do not exaggerate your condition but also, do not minimize the extent of the pain or impairment. If you have a medical history or ongoing condition, such as diabetes or a heart condition, that may affect your treatments, tell your doctor. Comply fully with your doctor’s medical advice. Never be afraid to ask questions. If you feel you cannot express yourself completely to your doctor, have a family member or friend speak for you. It is very important that your doctor understands your condition to be able to treat you effectively.
Some accident-related injuries are obvious: bruising, cuts, lacerations, and broken bones all show the damage that needs to be treated right away. But other injuries are not so obvious, particularly when these injuries affect the brain or the spinal cord. Symptoms of the damage to these injured areas may not appear until days, weeks or even months later. Because these injuries are not immediately obvious, they are often more difficult to recognize, diagnose, and treat.
Treatment of these injuries may also require consulting with other medical specialists. For example, a client who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury may not only need a neurologist but also a neuropsychiatrist or a neuro-otologist to fully diagnose and treat these subtle injuries. One who suffered a spinal cord injury or the loss of a limb may need extensive physical rehabilitation. Even if one has a health insurance plan, the necessary treatment may involve medical experts or other facilities beyond what the managed care plan is willing to provide. The injured will need to consult with other specialists outside the plan.
If the injuries resulting from an accident are fairly serious, it is wise to hire an experienced attorney. A truly experienced attorney who has litigated serious injury cases in court can be a source of valuable information and help. Arrangements can be made so that the injured person receives necessary medical attention without incurring out-of-pocket expenses. This is especially important for those who do not have health insurance or who do not have the ability to pay for expensive diagnostic tests and treatments.
Where damages are disputed, an attorney can investigate, gather witnesses and documents, and generally present the facts in an organized manner so as to demonstrate the full extent of the injuries. There may be stages of treatments that need to be recorded so that the opposing attorney, a judge or a jury may one day be able to evaluate the extent of a person’s pain and suffering. The patient’s hospitalization or physical therapy sessions may have to be photographed or videotaped. These images will show more than words the extent of the injured person’s difficulties. A realistic presentation of evidence will ultimately help the injured person obtain a fair and reasonable compensation for their losses.
Restoring the injured person to health and full capacity can be complicated and frustrating. It is important for seriously injured persons to know the options available to them. By obtaining both medical and legal help, they are better able to advance towards achieving full recovery.
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C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully obtained significant results, including several million dollar recoveries for consumers against insurance companies and big business. He is a member of the Million Dollar-Advocates Forum—a prestigious group of trial lawyers whose membership is limited to those who have demonstrated exceptional skill, experience and excellence in advocacy. He has been featured in the cover of Los Angeles Daily Journal’s Verdicts and Settlements for his professional accomplishments and recipient of numerous awards from community and media organizations. His litigation practice concentrates in the following areas: serious personal injuries, wrongful death, insurance claims, unfair business practices, wage and hour (overtime) litigation. You can visit his website at www.joesayas law.com or contact his office by telephone at (818) 291-0088.
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