How Can Medical Records Impact My Car Accident Case?


Your medical records are one of the strongest pieces of evidence in your Oklahoma City car accident case, providing objective proof of your injuries, establishing the connection between your accident and your current medical condition, and proving the full value of your damages. Without accurate and thorough medical records, recovering the compensation you are entitled to is much more challenging. 

Medical Records Provide Powerful Evidence of Your Injuries

Insurance companies and defense attorneys scrutinize every injury claim, trying to find a way to deny liability, delay processing your claim, and pay you as little as possible for your damages. If you do not have solid documentation of your injuries, your claim is hard to prove. Medical records provide objective, factual evidence that can help counter the insurance company and defense attorney tactics. 

MRI scans, CT scans, X-rays, and other diagnostic tests can show broken bones, soft tissue damage, herniated discs, and other internal injuries that may not be visible from the outside. This evidence makes it difficult for an insurance company to argue that your injuries are not real. 

Your physician’s notes add valuable context to the images and test results in your record. When your doctor documents your pain levels, mobility limitations, and difficulty performing daily activities, it provides strong evidence of how much the car accident has impacted your life. 

Medical Records Help Prove That Your Car Accident Caused Your Injuries

Insurance companies often argue that a claimant’s current condition was caused by a pre-existing injury, or by something that happened after the accident. Seeking immediate medical attention after a car accident can help establish the link between the accident and your injuries. 

Medical Records Can Help Distinguish Pre-Existing Conditions From the Injuries Caused By Your Car Accident

When your medical records are accurate and thorough, they can document your condition before and after the accident. This can establish that your condition did not exist before the accident. 

If you do have a pre-existing condition, your medical records can show the status of your pre-existing injury before and after the accident, proving that the accident worsened the pre-existing condition or that the accident reinjured a prior injury that had healed. 

Medical Records Can Help Support Your Claim For Future Medical Needs

Not all injuries heal completely after your initial treatment. When your treating physician documents your prognosis and their recommendations for future treatment, it provides clear evidence that you will need future medical care. This proof can significantly strengthen your claim. 

Without documentation about your likely future medical needs, insurance companies will argue that you have already received all necessary treatment. At Warhawk Legal, our Oklahoma City injury lawyers consult medical experts when necessary to ensure that all your future medical needs are appropriately documented and valued. 

Medical Records Can Help Prove the Actual Value of Your Economic and Non-Economic Damages

Your medical records not only provide powerful proof of your physical injuries, but also of your pain and suffering, emotional distress, and lost quality of life. This evidence supports your claim for non-economic damages. 

How Warhawk Legal Uses Your Medical Records To Build Your Strongest Case

At Warhawk Legal, our OKC distracted driving accident lawyers have been protecting the rights of injury victims and their families for over 20 years. We know how to review and use your medical records to support your claim, presenting this evidence to help reach a fair settlement as quickly as possible. And if a fair settlement is not reached, we will take your case to trial and use your medical records to help you secure maximum compensation for your damages. 

Call (405) 397-1717 or visit our contact page and schedule a free consultation to discuss your car accident claim.