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If you have been in an accident that caused you an injury, it is essential to heed your doctor’s advice for a few different reasons. As a New Jersey personal injury attorney, we’ve seen the issues that can arise when our clients do not follow a physician’s treatment plan. While it might seem like common sense, many individuals have disregarded these directions and put their health and legal cases in jeopardy. Here are some of the biggest reasons that you should follow your treatment plan to completion.
Complete Your Healing Process
Your doctor is an ally in providing you with the best health care they can. That is why they determine a strategic plan to ensure that you regain your function and feeling as quickly as possible. By following your doctor’s program, you can eliminate undue pain or discomfort caused by your accident. Additionally, while treatment plans are designed to heal you, they can also sometimes uncover additional or more severe injuries that were previously unidentified.
Part of following your doctor’s advice is attending all your follow-up appointments, attending appointments with other specialists or physical therapists, completing specific exercises or medication regimens. You should ensure that you check (and document) your adherence to the plan to ensure that your doctor can determine when you are entirely healthy or further document permanent injury or disability.
Bolster Your Legal Case
If you don’t follow your doctor’s orders, you don’t just put your health at risk but also the validity of your case. Personal injury cases can sometimes be challenging to prove or win, and stacking the cards in your favor can go a long way. If you have missed doctor’s appointments or disregarded their advice, it may be easy for a judge to conclude that your injuries weren’t as bad as you have claimed or that you didn’t care enough about your health to recover adequately. Either of these issues can damage your case.
In contrast, individuals who take their medical directions seriously can be viewed as actively taking part in their health, responsible, and trustworthy. While these factors are not always legally weighed, they can help slide benefits in your favor.
Additionally, a doctor may determine that your injuries are more severe or that you need a more extended treatment plan to heal adequately. If you have adhered to your existing plan, it is easier to determine that additional therapy is necessary and that it will be completed.
Finally, following your doctor’s advice will provide you with a comprehensive medical record that can be used in court to further prove the extent of your injuries and the treatment that you need to regain your health. In contrast, doctors have also been called to testify when their patients do not follow medical advice.
Take Action Today
If you have been the victim of an accident that has left you injured, call our offices today. Our team has the experience you need to help you receive the compensation you need and deserve.