Sometimes, personal injury victims need to change doctors while seeking compensation. If you find yourself in this situation, we can help you make the transition smooth and successful so that it doesn’t affect your case.
You can change doctors during a personal injury case. Victims often see several physicians throughout the course of their treatment, and might switch doctors for any number of reasons. If you need to change doctors for logistical, personal, or other reasons, tell our lawyers, and we can facilitate the transition by requesting a transfer of all relevant medical records. Switching doctors might even help your recovery, so don’t be afraid to see a new physician for your care.
Get your free case assessment from our New Jersey personal injury lawyers when you call Agrapidis & Maroules, P.C. at (551) 525-6465.
Can You Change Your Doctor During a New Jersey Personal Injury Case?
During the course of your physical recovery and personal injury case, you might find yourself in a situation where you need to change your doctor, and understandably wonder if changing physicians midway through a case could hurt it.
You are allowed to change your doctor during a personal injury case for any reason. Most likely, you will see several physicians over the course of your treatment, from emergency room doctors to specialists. If you no longer wish to see a particular doctor, whether because of personal or logistical reasons, you can continue your treatment with another physician of your choosing.
In personal injury cases, plaintiffs decide who is and is not part of their medical team and can technically change doctors at any time.
What to Do if You Change Doctors During a Personal Injury Case
Whatever your reason for changing doctors after sustaining a personal injury, how you handle the transition could affect your case and its outcome.
Tell Your Lawyer
If you plan on switching doctors during your personal injury case, alert our attorneys before you make the change. Our Elizabeth, NJ personal injury lawyers can handle requesting a full transfer of all medical records to a new physician on your behalf and help you prevent gaps in your medical record if you wait too long between seeing different physicians.
Keep Records
Keep records of why you are changing doctors, such as correspondence showing a lack of communication or poor medical progress, so that you can explain the reason for the change if it comes up during your case.
How Can Changing Your Doctor Hurt Your Personal Injury Case in New Jersey?
While you can change your doctor during a personal injury claim, going about it the wrong way could end up harming your case and recovery.
Doctor Shopping
Changing doctors several times throughout a personal injury case could be seen as “doctor shopping,” or getting assessed by many doctors until you find one who will affirm the injuries you believe you have. Insurance companies view doctor shopping poorly, which is why having a valid, documented reason for changing doctors is important.
Gaps in Treatment
When transitioning from one physician to another, you might wait too long to resume your treatment. Scheduling appointments with new physicians while still attending scheduled visits with your current doctor helps prevent sizable gaps in treatment.
Gaps in treatment might undermine a plaintiff’s credibility and argument that their injuries are serious and deserving of compensation. Some gaps in care are unavoidable and shouldn’t hurt your case, such as gaps from being on a waiting list to see a particular specialist.
Conflicting Medical Records
If you switch doctors during your personal injury case, there could be conflicting medical records or notes regarding your injuries. This can complicate your recovery and is important to keep in mind before transitioning from one doctor to another.
How Can Changing Your Doctor Help Your Personal Injury Case?
When done properly, changing doctors during your personal injury case could strengthen your case and improve your chances of a fair, fast financial recovery.
Changing doctors may help your case if you switch from a general physician to a specialist. Under a specialist’s care, diagnoses may be more accurate, and the treatments you receive may be more beneficial.
Changing your doctor can also lead to more detailed medical records. Victims who feel more comfortable with their doctors might be more honest about their pain levels and other struggles from an injury, which can yield more accurate medical records and useful expert witness testimony.
Why Might You Change Doctors During a Personal Injury Case in New Jersey?
You might have to change doctors during a personal injury case for several reasons, and should not avoid switching physicians if doing so is essential for your physical health and recovery.
Need for a Specialist
If you need a specialist to treat your injuries, such as a neurologist, orthopedic surgeon, or physical therapist, you may need to switch doctors at some point during your treatment to get that specialized care. You might have to see multiple specialists, depending on your injuries, and may have to change doctors several times over the course of your treatment.
Logistical Problems
Some personal injury victims need to change doctors for simple logistical reasons. If your previous doctor moves locations, retires, or stops accepting your insurance before you resolve your case, you might be unable to afford visits or attend them. Switching doctors for logistical reasons should not hurt your case, especially if the reason for the change was related to your injuries.
Poor Relationship
Having a rapport and a foundation of trust with doctors is important for recovering injury victims who are also seeking compensation. If you have a poor relationship with a particular doctor, do not fully trust them, or feel unheard about your pain levels and discomfort, you can change physicians to a doctor you feel more comfortable with.
Let Us Handle Your New Jersey Personal Injury Case
For a free, confidential case evaluation from our Ridgewood, NJ personal injury lawyers, call Agrapidis & Maroules, P.C. now at (551) 525-6465.