If you’re injured in a car accident, bike collision, workplace injury, or any kind of incident in Florida, you will need to visit a medical professional or hospital to get treatment. This means that almost immediately there will be documentation of your injuries.
In Florida, if you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and other losses. To succeed in your case, you need to provide evidence of your injuries and the treatment you received. This is where medical records come in. The legal team at Flaxman Law Group routinely works with injured claimants in Florida, and we’ve put together this guide to help you understand the role of your medical records in your personal injury claim.
Medical Records in Personal Injury Cases
Medical records offer objective evidence of your injuries, the severity of your injuries, and the treatment you received. They can also help establish a link between your injuries and the accident that caused them. This can help you prove your case and can help you seek fair compensation for your injuries. Attorneys often look to secure medical records to help pursue financial recovery on your behalf.
What Information is in Your Medical Records?
Medical records can include:
- Personal information, such as your name, address, and date of birth.
- Medical history, including any medication you’re taking and any past surgeries, hospitalizations, or medical conditions you’ve had.
- The healthcare provider’s diagnosis, identifying the injury or illness you have.
- Treatment details, including any medications, procedures, rehabilitation, surgery, and therapies you’ve had and which are recommended in the future.
- Progress notes, detailing how you’re responding to treatment.
- Test results from blood work, MRIs, x-rays, CT scans, and other tests.
- Billing information, including the cost of your treatment and insurance details.
Getting Your Medical Records
After a serious injury, you may be able to get your medical records by asking for them, submitting a form to a doctor or hospital, or making a written request. Ask your healthcare provider how to get a copy of your medical records. In some cases, you may need to pay a fee to get a copy of your medical records.
When you work with an experienced personal injury attorney, your attorney can secure your medical records on your behalf. Medical records help your attorney prove your case, establish how much your injuries are likely to cost, and help him or her pursue compensation for you. Your attorney will likely seek medical records from any treatment you have received through a hospital, emergency room, urgent care center, clinic, or your regular doctor.
If you have been injured after any incident in Miami, Homestead, Hollywood, or anywhere in South Florida, you may have a case if your injuries were caused by someone’s recklessness.
It’s not always easy to tell whether you have a claim, whether you have a copy of your medical records or not. That’s why you may want to call Flaxman Law Group at 866-352-9626. When you call us, you always get to speak to a live person, 24/7, who can schedule a free, no obligation consultation with an attorney.