3 Tips For Filing An Insurance Claim For A Whiplash Injury
Injuries from a car accident are not sometimes immediately evident. For instance, the symptoms of whiplash might not appear for hours or even days. It is because of this, receiving compensation for your injuries might prove to be challenging. If you believe that you are suffering from the symptoms of whiplash, here are some steps you can take to help your claim.
Get Medical Treatment
Your personal injury claim for injuries could be dismissed by the insurance company if you fail to seek medical treatment. Without medical treatment, the insurance company could claim that your injuries were not serious enough to receive compensation.
You also need to get medical treatment because having a doctor diagnose your condition can help prove your injuries. Be honest with your doctor about what occurred and ensure that he or she notes in the medical records that you were involved in a car accident.
Send the Insurance Company Notice
In personal injury cases, you have to send notice to the insurance company if you plan to file a claim. The notice must be sent within a specific time period. Check your state's laws to determine when the notice must be filed.
It is important that you send the notice as soon as you experience whiplash symptoms. Whiplash can result from other types of accidents, including a sports accident. By sending notice immediately to the insurance company, you help to support your claim that the injury was the direct result of the car accident.
Review Your Medical Records
The insurance company will undoubtedly ask you to sign an authorization for it to get your medical records. Although you might believe the company is only looking for evidence of your injuries from the car accident, it is actually looking for any indications that your injuries were from another incident.
For instance, if you suffered a workplace injury in the past, the insurance company might claim that the symptoms you are experiencing now are a recurrence of those injuries.
Before signing the medical authorization, review your records with your attorney. He or she can then decide whether or not to limit the access of your records.
There are other ways you can improve the likelihood that you are successful in your whiplash claim. Work with your car accident attorney to identify the other steps you need to take. He or she can also be useful in negotiating your case with the insurance company.