If you were injured in a car crash caused by another driver, his insurance agent will most likely call you soon after to sign a medical authorization to obtain your medical records. He may make it appear that it is a necessary step before he can make you a settlement offer and write your check. Resolving your claim quickly may sound good with mounting medical bills and no wages while you are off work, so you may be eager to comply. However, put the pen down and call an experienced car crash attorney before being tricked by the insurance adjuster.
Why You Do Not Give a Blanket Medical Release
You need to remember that the other driver’s insurance agent is not your friend, and his primary objective—no matter what he says—is to deny your claim or pay you the least amount he can. You do not want to give him ammunition by signing a blanket medical release. Problems with signing this document include:
Disclosing pre-existing medical conditions.
A blanket medical authorization would allow the adjuster to receive all your medical records—not just those associated with your crash. He could find prior medical problems that he could use to try to deny or reduce your claim.
Losing leverage.
By releasing all your medical records, you are giving the insurance company potential arguments to make to reduce your award while not gaining any upper hand in the settlement negotiations.
Waiving your privacy.
By signing the insurance company’s authorization, you could be giving them more information than they need and some irrelevant and possibly sensitive medical information about you that they do not need to know.
Disclosing information too early.
You will need to provide medical records to the insurance company pertaining to your crash before your claim can be settled. However, you may not want to provide them right away until your injuries have been diagnosed, you have started receiving treatment, and your doctor has a better idea of your long-term prognosis.
Making your attorney’s job more difficult.
If you sign a medical authorization before speaking to your attorney, you may make it harder for him to obtain the most favorable settlement for you because you have inadvertently created weaknesses in your case.
If you were hurt in a collision caused by a negligent driver, we urge you to contact our experienced legal team before signing a medical authorization or providing a recorded statement.
Have You Been Injured In A Texas Car Accident?
If you've been hurt in a Texas car accident you need to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Colleyville office directly at 817.485.8888 to schedule your free consultation.
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