You were injured in a car accident. You've had chiropractic treatment or physical therapy. The doctor releases you, informing you that maximum treatment benefit has been reached and there is nothing more they can do for you. But you are still in significant pain. What should you do? Should you attempt to settle your case now, even though you are still hurting?
At our Santa Monica personal injury law firm, we recommend to clients that if they have significant residual complaints from an accident, they should not settle their claim. Once you settle your case, you cannot go back to the insurance company later and ask for more money. Your signature on a settlement releases terminates any claim that you have against the other driver.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU YOU'RE STILL IN PAIN?
The answer depends on what type of treatment you have had so far. If you've already incurred $4,000 or more in chiropractic or physical therapy bills, it's probably not to your benefit to get more chiropractic treatment or physical therapy.
If the damage to your car was significant, and there is enough insurance coverage on the other driver's car, or under your own auto insurance policy, the attorneys at our firm would consider referring you to a pain management physician. A pain management physician will consider epidural steroid injections, facet joint injections, or nerve blocks for your chronic pain. Many of our clients have reported significant relief from these procedures. We can even arrange for pain management treatment on a lien basis, which means the medical provider agrees to wait to be paid until the case settles.
If your chiropractor or physical therapist has released you, but you're still in chronic pain from a car accident, call the lawyers at our Santa Monica personal injury law firm for a free consultation: (800) 999-9948.