When you have been seriously injured in an accident that took place due to another party’s carelessness and negligence, you will find yourself in need of financial compensation to help cover your medical expenses and provide you and your family with financial support in lieu of lost wages from being unable to work. Unfortunately, sometimes insurance companies do all they can to avoid paying out personal injury claims, often by saying victims were not as seriously injured as they stated in their claim. If you are wondering if a trip to the hospital is necessary for a successful personal injury claim, here is what you need to know.
Documenting Your Injuries
Along with ensuring your injuries are promptly treated, going to the hospital following a car accident or other serious accident will allow doctors to verify your injuries and document them in your medical records. Once this is done, an insurance company will have a much harder time trying to deny your claim.
Gathering Evidence
When you go to a hospital to get treated for your injuries, this also allows your personal injury lawyer the chance to begin gathering evidence that can help you win your case. Along with having your injuries documented, your lawyer can also speak with doctors to gather important information about how your injuries took place, how long it will take you to recover, and other pertinent details.
Expert Witness Testimony
Should an insurance company decide to play hardball in regards to your injury claim, receiving treatment at a hospital can give you and your personal injury lawyer the ability to call doctors and others to testify on your behalf as expert witnesses. Should your case go to trial and be heard by a jury, expert witness testimony is often very effective in helping to sway jurors in favor of accident victims.
Getting a Quicker Settlement
Once an insurance company knows you have received treatment for injuries at a hospital, your injuries are documented in your medical records, and you have hired a personal injury attorney to act on your behalf, this usually means you can expect to get a quicker settlement through an out-of-court agreement. Once your attorney has a substantial amount of information about your injuries, they can use this to pressure an insurance company into giving you the compensation you deserve.
If you are injured in a car wreck, slip and fall accident, or from a dog bite or defective product, seeking hospital treatment will greatly increase the odds you will come out a winner when filing your personal injury claim.
Author information: Anica Oaks is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs, the ocean, and anything outdoor-related. She was raised in a big family, so she’s used to putting things to a vote. Also, cartwheels are her specialty.
