Should I seek treatment after sustaining injuries if I am considering filing suit?

Treating For Your Injuries After A Fort Worth, Texas Personal Injury

This is the next post in our series on the stages of a Texas personal injury case. Our last article provided an overview of topics which this series will be addressing and it also stressed the need to speak with an attorney if you or a loved one have been injured. It is crucial that you contact counsel sooner, rather than later, so that they may begin building a case on your behalf. In this article we will discuss what one may expect while treating for an injury. If you need assistance then call a lawyer as soon as possible.

There are many ways in which one can be injured. These include car accidents, trucking accidents, and other types of incidents. Regardless of how one was injured, the case will be in a “holding pattern” until their long-term prognosis can be reasonably ascertained. This is due to the fact that any settlement, or trial award, must include payment for all costs incurred as well as those which are expected to be incurred in the future. In other words, there must be a reasonable determination of how much future medical care one will require as well as the extent their ability to earn a living has been reduced by the accident.

During the treatment stage of an injury case, a victim will receive care from their treating physicians. This will include any necessary surgeries, the prescribing of medications, the attendance of physical therapy, etc. If the case involves a serious injury then the victim may also meet with a medical expert who will offer an opinion as to the extent that future surgeries are needed. The expert will also offer opinions as to recovery that a victim can be expected to make. These opinions, regarding future care and recovery, will include assessments as to potentially major procedures (such as joint fusion) and how such procedures will impact long-term mobility, pain levels, etc.

It is important to understand that the treatment stage of a personal injury case can take quite some time. If a victim has been seriously injured then it may be several months, if not more than a year, before a long-term prognosis can be reached. It is crucial that a victim be patient during this time and that they let the process run its course. Accepting a “quick” settlement, to simply obtain a sum of money and to put the matter behind them, can result in a victim not receiving the funds they need for long-term care, for the coverage of future lost earnings, and to compensate them for future pain and suffering.

If you have been injured then it is important to retain an injury lawyer who has a standing relationship with medical professionals and experts. Such an attorney will know what to expect from the process and should be able to handle your case in a streamlined manner. This is true whether you were injured in Fort Worth, Dallas, or elsewhere in the state of Texas.