Signing a Medical Release for the Insurance Company

When making a personal injury claim, you will expect the insurance company to behave in a typically defensive and aggressive manner. However, the adjuster may floor you by playing nice and siding with you over the validity of your claim.

Even before you can come to terms with the astonishing behavior, you are presented with a medical release form. You will be told that you do not require a personal injury law firm in Los Angeles, California as the authorization will enable them to access the medical bills for the accident and pay the claim.

You are thrilled with the accommodating stance and willing to cooperate as it will make the claim process smooth and easy. Little do you suspect that this can actually be used to turn the tables on you.

Indeed, getting a medical authorization is actually an underhand tactic used by insurance companies to exploit unrepresented claimants!

What actually happens is that this opens the door to your entire medical history. They will gain access to your medical records before the accident including all injuries, health complaints, and the corresponding treatment. They can then leverage this confidential information by, say, arguing that the pain or even injury existed prior to the accident itself. You will not be able to prove that the condition is not related to the accident or even that it was aggravated due to the accident.

This is why you need a qualified and skilled personal injury law firm in Los Angeles, California to safeguard your interests. Expert personal injury attorneys like Kahn Roven, LLP will warn you of the repercussions of signing a medical authorization and advise you to decline it immediately. Even if it seems necessary, they will legally limit the release to after the accident and prohibit access to any records or bills prior to that date.

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Why to Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer?

Physicians are considered to be the only savior when one is physically injured or facing some health issues. They are the only person who can help you to come back to your normal lifestyle. Being a human, he or she can make a mistake. However, if they are not careful when diagnosing a patient or hearing the complications, they can prescribe wrong medicines and as a result of it, the patients suffer.

Have you also been injured for the negligence of a doctor? Don’t remain silent and file a lawsuit with the assistance of the medical malpractice lawyers in Los Angeles. If you are thinking why to choose such a professional, have a look at the following details:

• Generally, medical malpractice cases involve medical issues that are far more complex than personal injury cases
• Medical malpractice insurers tend to not respect plaintiffs’ lawyers who are not qualified medical malpractice lawyer
• An experienced lawyer will know how to find a qualified medical expert for your case
• Such cases are very expensive

As you have gone through all the above-mentioned points, you may understand the importance of hiring an experienced lawyer for this case. Kahn Roven, LLP is a reputable law firm in Los Angeles. All of their professionals are certified and experienced in this field. To get their assistance or to learn more, call at (818) 888-9171 or visit at http://www.kahnroven.com/.

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The Personal Injury Claim Process

The process of a personal injury claim for recovering compensation for the damages sustained can be quite long-winded and time-consuming. However, with a Los Angeles auto accident lawyer representing your interests, it will follow a consistent and predictable route.

Filing the claim – The first step after you have sustained an injury or loss is to file a claim with the relevant person. In case of an accident, you may have to fill a form with the insurance company to initiate the formal claim process.

Reservation of rights letter – The insurance company may or may not react to your claim. If it chooses to respond, you will get a letter stating that the insurance company plans to investigate the claim. This is not an acknowledgment of liability and does not provide any indication whether they will actually agree to pay the damages or not.

Demand letter – You have to respond with a detailed demand letter describing what happened in the accident and why the other party is held legally responsible. You will set out the injuries sustained and medical treatment received before itemizing the medical expenses and other costs along with the lost income and your pain and suffering. The total figure will represent the amount of compensation you are demanding from the insurance company.

An initial offer – This is when the claims adjuster enters the picture. He will contact you and may make an initial settlement offer. This is likely to be quite low and may seem totally unacceptable. The adjuster will justify this saying the injuries are not worth the claim amount or may simply deny the claim by pinning the blame on you. Things may get dirty with the insurance company employing deceitful tactics like offering a quick settlement, asking for a recorded statement, requiring you to sign an authorization, claiming low insurance coverage, harassing you or invading your privacy, etc. They may dispute the injuries, need for medical treatment or highlight a lack of evidence to support the accident and/or injuries.

Counter offer – You have to stay firm in the face of the pressure tactics and make a counteroffer stating why the initial offer is unacceptable, yet showing willingness to settle for a slightly reduced compensation.

Final settlement offer – A series of negotiations will continue with each party conceding bit by bit on the compensation amount. Finally, the insurance company may make a final offer signaling the end of the negotiations.

If this is fair, you can accept the settlement and receive the compensation. However, if the offered amount is still too low or unacceptable, the only recourse is to file a lawsuit and go to trial.

An expert Los Angeles auto accident lawyer can prove valuable every step of the way - from determining the dollar amount of damages and negotiating the compensation to deciphering the underhand ploys and collecting evidence to support your claim.

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