{"id":8139,"date":"2012-02-24T08:04:41","date_gmt":"2012-02-24T16:04:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pdxinjurylaw.com\/?p=8139"},"modified":"2012-02-24T08:04:41","modified_gmt":"2012-02-24T16:04:41","slug":"seeing-doctor-value-injury-claim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pdxinjurylaw.com\/es\/seeing-doctor-value-injury-claim\/","title":{"rendered":"How NOT Seeing a Doctor Can Decrease the Value of Your Injury Claim"},"content":{"rendered":"

Portland injury lawyers always tell people that the first thing they should do after any traffic accident is to see a physician, but many people fail to heed this advice. Many people think they\u2019ve just been shaken up and that there\u2019s no real damage done. Still others say they haven\u2019t got the time, or that they can\u2019t afford the added expense, or even that without their damaged vehicle, they simply have no way to get to a doctor\u2019s office. What these people fail to realize is that not seeking medical treatment as soon as possible after an accident is dangerous on two fronts, both physically and financially.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Delays in Getting Treatment Can Negatively Affect Your Claim<\/strong><\/p>\n

Failing to see a physician as soon as possible after an accident is known as a \u201cdelay in treatment.\u201d This delay can have seriously negative consequences in the recovery process which is just one reason why not seeing a physician after an accident is a big mistake<\/a>. It is far better to see a doctor and having him confirm there\u2019s nothing wrong with you, than to not see a doctor when you have soft tissue damage, whiplash or other injuries that people often put down to being \u201cjust a bit shaken up,\u201d or a \u201cfew bumps and bruises, but nothing serious,\u201d two phrases often used by people when asked if they\u2019ve been hurt.<\/p>\n

A delay in treatment can also seriously reduce the amount of money the insurance company of the driver who injured you will pay in compensation. This is standard insurance industry practice, and the insurance companies use software programs to justify lower awards when there\u2019s been a delay in treatment in any case, regardless of the severity of the injury.<\/p>\n

After an accident, Portland injury lawyers will provide crucial data to the insurance adjuster on their client\u2019s behalf. The adjuster will enter the data they receive and the software then generates a final settlement amount to be offered to the injured party. If the victim has delayed receiving treatment, the software will automatically reduce to a very great degree the amount of the settlement, so it\u2019s vital that the injured party has seen a doctor, regardless of the severity of the injury.<\/p>\n

How soon should I see a doctor?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve been in an accident, the short answer is that you should see a doctor as soon as possible. As far as the insurance companies and their software programs are concerned, if you haven\u2019t seen a physician within 72 hours of the accident taking place, there\u2019s been a delay in treatment. On the other hand, anyone who can actually verify that they have seen a doctor within three days of an accident will have added what is called a \u201cvalue driver\u201d to their score on the insurance company\u2019s software. While there are, of course, other value drivers taken into consideration, this is the first and potentially the most important in determining your final compensation offer.<\/p>\n

What if I can\u2019t get an appointment?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first step after the accident should be to call your usual doctor\u2019s office and explain that you\u2019ve been in a traffic accident. Tell the person who answers the phone that you need to be seen right away. In most cases, they\u2019ll schedule you an appointment, but if not, there are other options available to you, including:<\/p>\n