Lees personal injury lawyer explains the two things that a person injured in an accident should never discuss with their doctor.
Do not repeat discussions with the insurance adjuster
If you’ve been injured in an accident, you should never repeat any discussions that you have with the insurance adjuster with your doctor. You may be saying to yourself, I would never do that, I can tell you that I see these statements in medical records all the time.
This is how it might happen. You’re at home and receive a phone call from the adjuster and he/she says something that aggravates you. Maybe he is not giving you a rental car or offering you enough to replace your totaled vehicle. You go to your doctor’s office and the nurse asks you how you’re doing, and you respond, the insurance adjuster did “this and that.” Your comments get written in the medical record by the nurse or medical assistant.
Do not repeat discussions with your lawyer
Discussions with your lawyer are protected under the attorney client privilege. If you divulge this information to your healthcare provider, you’ve destroyed the privilege. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen this in files.
You speak to your lawyer or paralegal and they bring you up to speed on something that has happened in the case. Maybe a witness supports your facts of the accident or the judge made a certain ruling. You go to your doctor’s office and repeat that your lawyer found a witness that supports you version of the accident – this information gets charted in the medical record.
Your healthcare provider is there to take care of your injuries not be involved in the insurance or legal issues. If this information is repeated to your doctor it can be used against you in a number of ways. It can also make the doctor look like he/she is an interested party or advocate instead of a disinterested healthcare provider.
Nothing good comes from repeating this type of information to your healthcare providers. Don’t do it. Any questions about a Leesburg accident, you can always give me a call at 352-267-9168.