Yes, medical evidence is needed in most personal injury cases because it helps attorneys establish the nature of your injuries. It also reflects the connection between the incident and your injuries, as well as the treatment you require and the losses you’ve suffered.
If you suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence, don’t wait any longer to call Jones & Swanson for legal representation from our Marietta personal injury lawyers.
Why Medical Evidence is Important in Personal Injury Claims
If you are pursuing damages for a physical injury, medical evidence will often be an important part of your claim. Medical evidence serves a practical purpose because it helps establish the following details:
- What happened to your body
- How serious the injury is
- What treatment you received
- How long your recovery is expected to take
- How the injury affects your life
For example, imagine that another driver causes a collision and you develop persistent neck pain. Your medical records could show that you:
- Reported the pain immediately after the crash
- Received an examination
- Underwent imaging
- Followed a treatment plan
- Continued experiencing symptoms
This type of documentation gives your claim something more to work with than a statement that you were hurt. The same principle applies to injuries from a fall, dog attack, unsafe property, or another incident caused by someone else’s negligence.
Medical records help establish the nature and extent of the injury while other evidence helps establish who was responsible.
However, this does not mean every personal injury case requires testimony from a physician or another medical professional. It also does not mean you need to understand medical terminology or gather every document yourself. Your lawyer from Jones & Swanson will help you throughout the process.
Different Types of Personal Injury Cases Require Different Evidence
Medical evidence matters across personal injury claims, but the type and importance of the evidence will depend on the circumstances:
- Car accident: Medical records will often be used to document injuries caused by the collision and the treatment required. Other evidence, such as the crash report, photographs, witness statements, vehicle damage, and insurance information, will help establish liability and the circumstances of the collision.
- Premises liability: Medical evidence will help establish the injury, while evidence concerning the property condition, notice, photographs, surveillance footage, incident reports, and witness accounts could help establish liability. Georgia law generally requires an owner or occupier of property to exercise ordinary care in keeping premises safe for invitees.
- Dog attack or bite: Medical records can document puncture wounds, infection, scarring, nerve damage, psychological effects, and other injuries. Georgia law addresses liability for injuries caused by vicious or dangerous animals, including the owner’s knowledge of the animal’s dangerous character.
- Wrongful death case: Medical evidence could help establish the circumstances surrounding the person’s death and the medical consequences of the underlying injury. Georgia’s wrongful death laws also establish who is entitled to bring certain claims based on the evidence.
The evidence needed in each case therefore depends on what must be established. Medical records are one important category, but they are not the entire case, and Jones & Swanson will collect other important information on your behalf.
Your Medical Bills Are Part of a Larger Damages Claim
Medical expenses are often one of the clearest financial losses following an injury, but they are not necessarily the only damages involved.
State laws also recognize damages for losses associated with physical injury, including pain and suffering and impairment or loss of the ability to work. Depending on the circumstances, your damages might include:
- Emergency treatment and hospital bills
- Physician appointments and follow-up care
- Diagnostic testing and imaging
- Prescription medications
- Physical therapy or rehabilitation
- Future medical treatment supported by the evidence
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental pain and suffering
- Permanent impairment or disability
- Disfigurement or scarring
- Other losses resulting from the injury
Medical records help establish many of these losses, but other evidence will often be necessary as well. For example, employment records could help document lost income. Testimony from family members could help describe changes in your daily life.
Photographs could demonstrate scarring or visible injuries. Medical opinions could help establish future treatment needs. At Jones & Swanson, our attorneys will bring these pieces together into one claim rather than treating each loss as a separate issue.
Your Attorney Will Help Build a Record That Tells the Whole Story
You should not have to become your own claims adjuster while recovering from an injury. Instead, let our attorneys at Jones & Swanson handle the legal side of your situation. We will:
- Collect medical records
- Organize bills
- Communicate with insurers
- Investigate liability
- Identify relevant evidence
- Evaluate how the injury has affected your life
That work helps ensure that the claim is based on the complete record rather than whichever document an insurance company happens to focus on. Your lawyer will also help you understand what information matters.
If the insurance company makes an offer that does not adequately account for your injuries and losses, your attorney will handle the negotiations. If you file a lawsuit, your lawyer will continue building the case throughout the litigation process.
When You Need Medical Evidence in a Personal Injury Case, Contact Jones & Swanson
If you need medical evidence in your personal injury case, don’t hesitate to call Jones & Swanson as soon as possible. Our lawyers will build your claim, collect medical records, communicate with insurance companies, and document your injuries.
We will also determine the full extent of the losses that were caused by someone else’s conduct. Our law firm has won more than $50 million for our clients, and we have more than 50 years of combined experience.
Our attorneys provide the kind of personal service that is often difficult to find at large firms. Led by Andrew W. Jones, M. Chase Swanson, and Rutledge W. Jones, we have served the Marietta community since 1995 with our hands-on approach. Call today for legal help with your case.
