Personal injuries often require surgery to repair the damage done to the body. In some cases, such as with traumatic brain injuries or internal organ damage, surgery is life-saving. There are also times when surgery is necessary to stabilize an injury to prevent it from worsening or to promote appropriate healing.
Many people assume that getting surgery will automatically increase the value of a claim. While this is often true, it is not always true. Sometimes surgery fixes a medical issue, and the victim does not need a lot of ongoing medical treatment.
It is a bad idea to make assumptions about the value of an injury claim. It is better to discuss your claim in detail with an experienced Windsor auto accident lawyer.
Decisions about getting surgery should be based on what you and your doctor think is best for your current and future health.
Contact Greg Monforton and Partners today. No upfront fees. (866) 320-4770
Surgery and the Value of Your Claim
It is easy to see how surgery could dramatically increase the value of a personal injury claim. No matter how small the surgery is, it could easily cost tens of thousands of dollars or more.
There are many factors the affect the cost of a procedure, including:
- Type of procedure
- Duration of the procedure
- Type of doctor who performs the procedure
- Number of medical professionals involved in the procedure (surgeons, anesthesiologists, etc.)
- Where the surgery is performed
- How much care you need following the surgery
- Whether you need to stay at the hospital after the procedure for observation
- Equipment that must be used during the procedure
- Complications during or after the procedure
- Whether physical therapy is needed after the procedure
- Medications used during and after the procedure
When Could Surgery Increase the Value of a Claim?
The more complex and invasive a procedure is, the more it is going to cost. For example, if your procedure lasts a few hours or more, it is likely to be much more expensive than a procedure that lasts 20 or 30 minutes.
While there are many procedures that could have significant expenses, some examples may include:
- Spinal fusion
- Repairing damage to internal organs
- Brain surgery, such as surgery to relieve swelling from a brain bleed
- Treatment of severe burns, including skin grafts
- Surgery for a herniated disc
- Surgery to repair a broken bone, such as surgery to implant plates or screws to bring bones back together
While the surgery itself can be costly, victims may have a long recovery after the procedure is done. For example, patients may need to do a lot of physical therapy after an operation on their spine.
Even though doctors may have operated on the brain, the victim may have permanent cognitive issues. These issues could require ongoing therapy to help victims improve their cognitive functioning.
Pain and other symptoms could last for a while after surgery. Victims may need prescription medication for a significant amount of time.
When Might Surgery Reduce the Value of Your Claim?
Sometimes a surgical procedure fixes a patient’s medical issues and once he or she heals from surgery, he or she does not need much, if any, more treatment.
For example, the surgery to repair a broken bone might be all the patient needs. If the patient keeps the area immobilized as requested by the doctor, he or she might not need much more treatment. There might be a few follow-up appointments, but that might be it.
Crash victims who suffer whiplash might not be able to get surgery to repair the damage. However, they may have a long recovery that includes prescription medication and physical therapy. Victims may also deal with significant pain and suffering. Sometimes whiplash claims could be worth as much or more than claims that involved a minor surgical procedure.
However, it is important to understand that most claims that involve surgery are more expensive than claims that do not involve surgery.
Making Decisions About Surgery
The cost of medical treatment cannot be ignored, especially when you need to pay these expenses while you are seeking compensation through the legal process.
However, when making decisions about your medical treatment, you should be most concerned about what you need and what your doctor recommends. You should not decide to get a treatment simply because you think it will increase the value of your claim. You could be wrong. Insurance companies will likely try to deny compensation for expenses they consider to be unnecessary.
You should find an experienced lawyer to manage your case. If you hire an experienced lawyer who has a history of recovering maximum compensation for his or her clients, you should feel confident that you have a better chance of recovering the compensation you need.
If you are unsure about one doctor’s opinion, you may want to seek a second opinion. You might be right or you might be wrong in your assessment of the first doctor’s opinion.
Contact Us Today to Discuss the Value of Your Claim
If you were injured in a car crash or another type of accident caused by the negligence of another person, we are ready to help you seek compensation for all your damages. Our services come at no upfront cost, which means no fees to take your case and no fees while we work to obtain compensation.
Schedule your free initial consultation today. (866) 320-4770