If you have been injured in an accident, following through on your medical treatment is crucial. That seems logical, right? Yet, I find myself having to repeat this advice over an over again to many of my clients.
It all starts in the emergency room. From the moment you are given discharge instructions, you have a responsibility to adhere to them. If the doctor told you to elevate your leg, you need to do it. If she told you to follow up with your primary care physician, you need to do it. If you are advised to return to the emergency room the next day, you need to return. Then after your emergency treatment, when you begin treating with your own doctor, you will need to follow his or her instructions, whether that means going for appropriate diagnostic tests or physical therapy. Should you require more invasive treatments such as epidural injections or surgery, of course it makes sense to consult with your doctor and ask the proper questions, or even to seek a second opinion. But the bottom line is – you must follow through with your treatment.
Why Is This Important?
First of all, in order to recover from your injuries, you must follow the directions of your doctors. Some injuries don’t affect us immediately, but left untreated, have long-term consequences. Second, if you need to prosecute a claim, you don’t want to give the insurance company any excuses (or a viable defense) to deny to your claim. Under New York law, the defense attorney can argue that if you stop your medical treatment, you do not have a permanent condition. In other words, that’s a good way to lose your case.
