Personal Injury? 5 Ways To Get Your Doctor’s Attention

Posted by rozeklawoffice on January 13, 2010 under Back Injury, General, Personal Injury Cases, Post-Traumatic Headache, RSD | CRPS, Traumatic Brain Injury, Vestibular Disorder, Whiplash Neck Injury | Be the First to Comment

Many doctors are not great listeners. Some may simply be too busy. Others may not want to get involved in a personal injury case. The bottom line is that many doctors fail to properly document their patients’ injuries. The following list provides some guidance on what to say to doctors in order to get their attention about your personal injuries:

1. Always use the word “new.” “…following the accident, I have a constant new pain…” A description of new pain since the accident, will usually lead the doctor to only one conclusion. The accident caused the new pain.
2. Pinpoint the location. “….at the base of my skull.…” The more precise you can be, the easier it will be for your doctor to make a diagnosis. Describing the exact location can also let your doctor know if it is time to refer to you a specialist.
3. Use strong adjectives. “….a stabbing pain…” The use of strong adjectives by a patient usually ends up in the medical records, which can be of great assistance later on.
4. Rate your symptoms. “…maybe a 6 out of 10…” This provides the doctor with some idea as to the severity of your pain. Later it can be used to determine improvement with treatment, i.e. a decrease in pain from a 9 to a 1 would show improvement.
5. Tell your doctor things you cannot do. If you “can’t lift your child” or you “can’t concentrate at work,” this informs your doctor that your injuries are affecting your life.

For more personal injury advise, order your free copy of the Wisconsin Personal Injury Claims Book.

Pain Diary For Your Injury

Posted by rozeklawoffice on January 7, 2010 under General, Personal Injury Cases, Post-Traumatic Headache, RSD | CRPS, Traumatic Brain Injury | Be the First to Comment

A pain diary (ofter known as a “headache journal” or “migraine journal”) can become a critical piece of evidence in a personal injury case. Insurance companies regularly use stall tactics to delay payment of claims, especially in serious injury cases, in the hopes that the injury victim will not be able to specifically recall the nature and severity of their pain in the weeks, months and years immediately following the injury. Insurance companies normally try to group all individual injury victims into a category based upon their particular injury and then set a value on that injury. This is not fair since similar injuries can have a very different effect on two different people.

The better an injury victim is able to remember and describe their specific injuries and the specific impact these injuries had on their life, with specific examples, then generally the more money they will likely receive in pain and suffering. The pain diary empowers the injury victim and helps level the playing field between the injury victim and the insurance company. During the case, the injury victim can refer back to their pain diary to refresh their memory of the devastating effect the injury had on their everyday life.

Rozek law offices offers a free Headache Journal

For more information on Post-Traumatic Headaches