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Why Are Doctors Such A Big Deal?

You can’t have a personal injury case without one.

The court will dismiss your case unless you have a doctor to testify that he examined you, that the treatment you received was necessary, and that your injuries were caused by the accident.

And the insurance company’s doctor is usually its primary witness to say that your injuries don’t exist, or that they were not caused by the accident.

What does this mean? Several things.

1) Regardless what your injuries are, you can’t testify about them unless your doctor describes them. You can’t recover for injury to your arm unless the doctor says your arm was hurt by the accident.

2) You can’t get an award for anything that will happen in the future unless the doctor says it will happen, and that it was caused by the accident. Examples: surgery, more treatment, medication, and future pain and suffering.

3) To settle or win your case, you have to pay your doctor a lot of money. For settlement of a lawsuit that involves future damage or pain or therapy or medication, you have to pay the doctor to write a letter describing your injuries and their relationship to the accident. Before asking the doctor to write the letter, it’s a good idea for your lawyer to meet with the doctor to learn what he will say in the letter. And you will have to pay the doctor for both the letter and the appointment with your lawyer. The letter may cost up to $500, and the appointment may cost more. All the same, if he helps you, it’s worth it.

4) Before trial, you have to pay the doctor to give a sworn statement on video to be used at trial. This can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000.

5) The insurance company will have you examined by its own doctor, who will also examine all your records. The point of his examination will be to establish either that you were not injured or that your injury was not caused by the accident. When he testifies, it might wind up being his word against yours.

I have been a lawyer over 30 years. A good lawyer puts a premium on knowing the right way to get information from a doctor. If you have a personal injury case in Cincinnati, Ohio or if you want to know what your lawsuit is worth, talk with an experienced Cincinnati injury lawyer> about the case. Call me, William Strubbe, at 513-621-4775.

Because all situations are different, and because there may be other facts pertaining to your case that I don’t know about, you should not rely on this answer for legal advice. I am not your attorney, and no lawyer client relationship has been formed.

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