If another driver leaves you injured in a car accident, you need medical attention. The fact is, however, that you also need your doctor’s advice regarding the healthiest path forward, including specific information related to your personal injury case.
Can You Explain My Injuries in Layman’s Terms?
Ask your doctor to explain your injuries in terms that you can understand. The better you understand the injuries you have sustained, the better prepared you will be to deal with them. Knowing exactly how serious your injuries are can help ensure that you reach your fullest recovery and that you obtain the compensation necessary to do so.
How Will My Injuries Affect My Life?
Once you understand what your injuries entail, it is important to understand how they will likely affect your life moving forward. Important questions to address include:
- Are there any activities I need to avoid, and for how long?
- Is there anything I can do to aid the recovery process?
- How long will my recovery likely take?
Having access to this information will not only allow you to take better care of yourself but will also inform your personal injury case, which is predicated on the losses you have suffered.
Were My Injuries Caused by the Accident?
This might strike you as a silly question, but in order to recover on the injuries you have suffered, it is important to establish that they were actually caused by the accident in question. If your doctor can pinpoint the cause, it can go a long way toward supporting your case. While you know that you were injured in the accident, it is helpful to demonstrate this with professional testimony.
When Can I Return to Work?
If you have been injured in a car accident, you are probably going to miss some work. If the amount of time you are off the job is extensive, it can cost you in terms of wages lost, and if your injuries are quite serious, it can even alter the trajectory of your career and diminish your earning potential into the future. Your doctor's take on how long you should wait before returning to work can prove to be important information when it comes to evidence in support of your calculated losses.
Do You Predict Any Future Health Concerns?
The fact is that some injuries heal better than others. Ask your doctor how he or she expects your injuries to heal over time and whether you should be on the lookout for any related health concerns. An injury sustained in a car accident is not a static event, and certain kinds of injuries can lead to ongoing and even chronic health issues (traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries, for example). This information is important for your health and your case.