Insurance companies do not pay money willingly. The insurance company can be expected to thoroughly investigate the facts of the accident, the claim for medical treatment, and any past injuries or claims. It will obtain copies of all past medical records.
The insurance company may hire a private investigator to take video of any physical activity that you may engage in. The insurance company may even lay a trap for you, such as attempting to hire you to do physical activity, causing a flat tire, or placing something in the yard that will need to be lifted, etc.
The insurance company may hire a private investigator who may carry a concealed tape recorder in talking to you or to your friends. YOU SHOULD NOT DISCUSS YOUR CASE WITH ANYONE, INCLUDING FRIENDS. If the insurance adjuster contacts you, do not discuss your case, refer them to this office. However, you must cooperate and communicate with any vocational consultant.
It will help your case to tell me about any PRIOR INJURY or PRIOR PAIN to any parts of your body. Many good cases are lost by the injured person’s concealing or forgetting a previous injury.
You should be sure to furnish me with the names and addresses of all doctors who have treated you. Particular attention should be given to all doctors in the local area, where it will be easy for the defense to obtain full copies of the medical records. I do not expect you to remember everything in your medical history; therefore, it is advisable to have copies made of any medical records of the family doctor, etc., so that you may review your own previous complaints to refresh your memory.
I will need every office note from all physicians seen by you and the charts of any hospital where you were seen following your accident. All medical care providers charge law offices for providing these reports. Therefore, you have the option of submitting the reports to this office or in the alternative, submitting payment to this office in order that they can be obtained. Please let me know immediately if you will submit the reports or you wish me to obtain the reports.
Insurance companies keep a record of any and all claims against any insurance company. The insurance company is sure to find out if you have ever made a previous claim.
Tell your local doctor all of your complaints. The doctor’s records can only be as complete as what you have told the doctor. Obtain a second opinion if your doctor does something you do not like. Be aware that you will have to pay for it unless the insurance company agrees to pay for it.
Keep track of all prescriptions and medicines taken, preferably saving all bottles or containers of medicine. Please send all bills and other papers pertaining to your medical treatment.
Keep a diary of all of your complaints. This will help you remember many months later.
Often you will need to contact this office to relay information or to ask a question. There will be instances when you may call and the attorney is unavailable. Please do not leave a message with your name and phone number. This is very unproductive. Instead, please state your message or question. Office procedures require that such messages by conveyed to the lawyer as soon as possible. If the message contains information, the lawyer (or staff at the lawyer’s direction) can begin using it more quickly than if the telephone call had to be returned to obtain the information. If the message is a question to be answered by the attorney, the response (or additional information needed for a response) can be conveyed by a staff person to the client once the attorney has made a determination. Law firm staff will not advise clients, but they will facilitate attorney-client communications.
Often you may call and I will be out of the office. Please do not leave your name without a phone number. Please do not tell the person who answers the phone that I have your number. I may return your call while I am not in the office. Therefore, in order to have your call returned, please always leave your phone number.
At each medical appointment, be sure to obtain a disability slip if your physician has not returned you to work. Keep a copy of EVERY disability slip your doctor gives you and immediately submit it to this office.
The Injured Workers Law Firm is a Richmond, Virginia based firm solely focused on serving clients with workers' compensation claims in Virginia. If you have questions about your benefits or if you would like more information on the Virginia Workers’ Compensation system, order our book, “The Ultimate Guide to Workers’ Compensation in Virginia” , or call our office today (804) 755-7755.