The at-fault party’s insurance company will need to thoroughly review your medical records prior to making a settlement offer. As they comb through your medical records, the insurance company will be looking for red flags that lower the value of your claim. Here’s a look at some of the possible red flags in your medical records:
Pre-Existing Injuries
The insurance adjuster will look for evidence of pre-existing injuries, which are injuries that were sustained prior to the accident. If you have a pre-existing injury, the insurance adjuster could use this as an excuse to deny your claim.
For example, let’s say you are trying to recover compensation for a soft tissue injury in your back. If the insurance adjuster discovers a pre-existing soft tissue injury in the same area, he could claim that you are simply experiencing symptoms from the pre-existing injury.
Gaps in Medical Treatment
The insurance adjuster will also look at the dates you received medical treatment. Seeing gaps between the treatment dates is a red flag for insurance adjusters. This is especially true if there is a gap between the date of the accident and the date of your first doctor visit. In this case, the insurance adjuster could argue that there is no proof the injuries were actually sustained in the accident since you waited so long to seek treatment.
Type of Healthcare Provider
The healthcare providers that treated your injuries will also be scrutinized by the insurance adjuster. If you chose to visit a chiropractor instead of a physician after the accident, this could raise a red flag. Visits to alternative healthcare providers such as acupuncturists or herbalists will also catch the insurance adjuster’s attention. If these red flags are found in your records, they could lower the overall value of your claim.
Incomplete Records
If the insurance adjuster does not have access to all of your medical records, this could affect your case. The insurance adjuster could assume that you are attempting to hide something by omitting some of your records. The insurance company could also delay settlement talks until you have sent the requested documents, which means you could have to wait much longer to receive compensation.
If you have been injured, contact Reisch Law Firm at once. Let our personal injury attorneys handle the negotiations with the insurance company so we can ensure these red flags do not affect the outcome of your case. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 303-291-0555 or filling out this online form.
