When you’re dealing with a new spinal cord injury and everything a SCI entails, it is easy to think of your personal injury lawyer as someone who is just your lawyer and nothing more. The reality, however, is that your personal injury lawyer can also be your best medical advocate. A medical advocate is someone who will do everything they can to make sure you get the medical care you deserve.
For someone with a new injury, making sure you get the medical care you deserve includes ensuring you have ample health care coverage, the right adaptive equipment, and a home that is accessible. Your personal injury lawyer can also help you in many other ways. Read below to discover how your personal injury lawyer can help you receive everything you need and more after you sustain a spinal cord injury.
Get Every Treatment Available
Sadly, it is common for doctors to forgo certain treatments for people with spinal cord injuries because they know the patient’s insurance will not cover the costs. However, if you have a medical advocate, you can receive help in fighting these decisions made by insurance companies. You don’t want to miss out on receiving treatments that could help you regain independence simply because your insurance may not cover the costs. A personal injury lawyer with vast spinal cord injury experience will have success in reversing these decisions, making sure you receive the treatments you need and deserve.
Help Appeal Denied Claims
Sometimes, an insurance company will deny medical claims, such as physical therapy bills. They instead agree to pay part of the bill rather than the entire bill. You can fight these decisions with the help of a personal injury lawyer. They may be able to appeal the denial or refile the claim. Once your personal injury lawyer is successful in reversing these decisions, it is likely the insurance company will be more apt to approve various therapies and other medical costs for you in the future.
Medical Provider Recommendations
Your personal injury lawyer will be able to recommend the best spinal cord injury doctors in your area, as well as refer you to the best physical therapy clinics and other recovery centers in the country.
They Will Fight for the Full Value of Your Injury
You do not have to let your insurance company determine the full value of your injury. Spinal cord injuries can be incredibly expensive, and typically, a check offered by insurance company will not be enough to cover your lifelong SCI expenses. An experienced personal injury lawyer will make sure you recover the full amount you need so you never have to worry about covering your medical costs out of pocket.
How to Find a Good Legal Advocate
You want your personal injury lawyer to be your legal advocate as well as your medical advocate. A good legal advocate will make sure you receive everything you need to recover. Here are important things to ask while looking for a good legal advocate and personal injury lawyer:
– Do you specialize in personal injury law?
– How many years have you been practicing spinal cord injury law?
– How many cases have you handled involving someone with a spinal cord injury?
– What are the strengths and weaknesses of my case?
– How many times a month should we expect to communicate with one another?
– Can you give me an estimate of what I will win in my case goes to trial vs. if I settle?
– Is there anything I can do to make my case more valid?
These questions can help identify a personal injury lawyer with spinal cord injury experience. A personal injury lawyer with ample spinal cord injury experience can be a great legal and medical advocate for you.
Signs Your Lawyer is a Good Advocate
Since you want a personal injury lawyer that is both a great medical and legal advocate, here are signs your personal injury lawyer is an expert advocate in all areas:
– They will tell you the truth when you are wrong. They will also be able to cite relevant laws and precedents easily.
– They will act with reason regarding the opposing side, staying level-headed in order to keep healthy communication open between you and the defendant. Settlements can often occur, which is why maintaining a solid relationship with the defendant is important in the long-run.
– They will offer all avenues in winning your case, which may include mediation or arbitration.
– They will be willing to explore all legal avenues stemming from your injury, such as malpractice.
– They will communicate with you in a polite manner. They may not call you back right away, but you will hear from them in a decent amount of time.
If you have suffered a spinal cord injury and believe someone else is at fault, please contact us today to have all of your legal questions answered by our experts. A spinal cord injury is expensive. It is your right to make sure you can pay for your injury.