Medical Records and Your Greensboro Personal Injury Case

There are two major components to every Greensboro personal injury case. First, there is the issue of liability, meaning who is at fault.  Second, there is the issue of damages (meaning injuries).  This post will focus on the issue of damages in personal injury and premises liability cases.

EMS

The initial medical record in any Greensboro Car Crash case is the EMS, or ambulance record.  This is where the initial impressions come from the “first responders” to an accident.  Much can be learned from the initial impressions of a first responder because often they actually see the aftermath of the wreck itself. These reports often paint a picture of how injured a client may be (for instance, if he or she cannot get out of the vehicle by himself or herself, and must be extracted from the vehicle, that paints a very strong picture for the adjuster).  It is important to read your medical records closely to point out to the insurance adjuster (or the jury in many instances) the gravity or seriousness of the injury at hand.  Often, the EMS report will contain observations of behavior from the client.  For instance, the client may be immobile or may be up and walking around.  The client may make statements about how much pain he or she is in, many times on a scale of one to 10 (1-10).  Finally, it is important for the attorney to make sure they note any witness statements contained in the EMS or first responder records.  These statements may assist with liability proof and may allow you to locate witnesses that could be helpful later at trial.

HOSPITAL/EMERGENCY ROOM

There are obviously many things that one can glean from the emergency room (“ER”) report.  The time of arrival can help show how long the first responders spent at the scene of the accident.  The condition of the patient is also key, and who arrived with the patient.  It is important to identify the “attending” professional providing the initial treatment.  Oftentimes, this may be a “PA”, or physician’s assistant. These records will often hit on the patient’s medical history, which can point out pre-existing conditions, which certainly are important to a review of a client’s claim.  Pay close attention to the discharge information at the end of the hospital records, because this should give a full diagnosis, a referral to a specialist, and/or a prescriptions provided.

We’ll move on to other types of medical records in “Part 2″…

Contact our Greensboro Car Accident Lawyers today if you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident or suffered a personal injury in Greensboro, High Point or Asheboro.