Often, we have clients recovering from their car accident injuries who are presented with various treatment options by their doctors. Such options may include surgery, injections, therapy and other forms of rehabilitation. The clients reach out to us to see what treatment we recommend.
Your recovery is the number one priority. And attorneys are not doctors.
Any quality attorney will tell you that your recovery is the top priority. In our view, the treatment you choose should be guided by whether it’s the quickest path to full recovery. How it will affect your case must not be the top concern.
It goes without saying, personal injury attorneys are not doctors. So, when clients ask us whether we agree with their doctor’s treatment plan, unless we see something very unusual, we will recommend that you follow your doctor’s recommendation. They are the ones best educated and positioned to make the best recommendations for your care. And their motivation is to get you better.
Pretend that you’ll never see one penny in your car accident case.
Sometimes clients worry how a particular procedure may or affect their personal injury claim. Our advice is to pretend that you have no claim whatsoever when deciding your treatment. When it comes to car accident claims, there’s no guarantee that you’ll even see one dollar in your claim. You may indeed lose.
Therefore, we urge our clients to focus on how to increase their likelihood of a full recovery when making their medical decisions. Their car accident claims should be irrelevant in deciding the best path to recovery.
Of course, given that we specialize in personal injury cases, we do see many of the same types of injuries. And we do recognize a pattern of treatment in certain types of injuries, which we will certainly discuss with our clients. However, this does not substitute for your doctor’s understanding of your case, your injuries, and your anatomy.
If you’re not sure, get a second opinion – from a doctor.
Like attorneys, some doctors aren’t great. Some are “past their prime,” too focused on the number of patients rather than the quality of care, or just plain make mistakes. If you’ve lost trust in your doctor, then you’re right to seek out the guidance of others. However, at Abrenio Law, we believe that guidance should come from other medical providers, and not attorneys.
If you need to, get second and third opinions on your future care. Like choosing an attorney, selecting a doctor is a very difficult, intimate decision. So, it doesn’t hurt to get other opinions if you’re not happy with your progress.
Still have questions?
Make sure to check out our Personal Injury & Criminal Defense Practice Pages where we’ve answered many other questions you likely have. James Abrenio is a Fairfax-Based Personal Injury & Criminal Defense attorney who practices throughout Northern Virginia. You can learn more about James Abrenio, some of our Prior Results, and Read Our Reviews. Make sure to contact us at Ph. 703-570-4180 for your Free Consultation.