The most important thing for you to do after you suffer an injury is to pay attention to your own recovery. Injury attorneys in Vancouver WA will likely advise you to pay close attention to your recovery by listening to specific directions that your doctor provides to you. Additionally, injury attorneys in Vancouver WA may suggest that you follow these steps to protect your legal interests.
Follow the Doctor’s Orders
Your doctor may provide you with very detailed instructions on the steps you should take to recover from your injuries. For example, he or she may say that you need to take a certain amount of time off of work to adequately recover from your injuries. If you suffered a broken limb, you may need to be on bed rest or elevate your limb in order to recover. Therefore, it is very important that you follow your doctor’s orders so that you can recover from your injuries as quickly as reasonably possible. Injury lawyers in Vancouver WA can explain that personal injury victims have a duty to mitigate their injuries.
This means that they must take the steps that are necessary to prevent further injuries from occurring and to minimize the liability that the defendant will face. If you do not follow the specific directions of your doctor, this may be used against you during a trial or settlement negotiation. Be sure that you also follow any directions that your doctor gives you pertaining to the type of medication and dosage that is necessary for your pain and other symptoms.
Although you may be weary of missing any work due to not wanting to lose the necessary income that you use to support you and your family, injury lawyers in Vancouver WA may try to include your loss of income as part of your personal injury claim. Therefore, it is important that you follow any instructions that the doctor gives you regarding your need to stay home from work or avoid certain leisure activities that may put your recovery at risk.
Attend Appointments
Injury attorneys in Vancouver WA can explain the importance of showing up for appointments. First, these appointments are a necessary aspect of your recovery. If a doctor has asked you to return on a specific date, he or she may want to assess your progress since the last appointment. As part of your recovery, your treating doctor or the hospital may order you to attend physical therapy appointments.
This type of therapy is particularly effective for injuries that include soft tissue damage, sprains and strains. If you are simply unable to attend a prescribed appointment, provide as much notice to the doctor or therapist as possible. Schedule a new appointment so that you will still receive the necessary treatment. You do not want the jury to see the notation that you were a no-show to an appointment. Such negative information can and will be used against you during settlement negotiations or a jury trial.
If you would like more information on this topic, contact the Etengoff Pak Law Groupf at (360) 693-2919.