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  • About
    • Our Practice
    • Meet Our Team
      • Jim Dwyer – Managing Partner
      • Roy Fernandes – Partner
      • Pat Reece – Attorney
      • Dean Heiling – Of Counsel
      • The Bridge City Law Team
    • Our Values
    • Testimonials
    • B Corp Certification
  • Our Expertise
    • Car Accidents
    • Bicycle Accidents
    • Pedestrian Accidents
    • Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Accident
    • Hit and Run Accidents
    • Uninsured Motorist Accidents
    • Motorcycle Accidents
    • Auto Accidents While at Work
    • Wrongful Death
    • Claims Against Insurance Companies
    • Premises Liability & Dangerous Conditions
  • INJURED? Start Here
    • Helpful Information About Your Personal Injury Claim
    • Top 10 Personal Injury Claim Mistakes to Avoid
      • #1 MISTAKE: Settling your personal injury case before you’re done treating from your car accident.
      • #2: Delaying seeing a medical provider immediately following a car accident.
      • #3 MISTAKE: Not following your medical provider’s advice after a car accident.
      • #4 MISTAKE: Providing a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company without first speaking with an attorney
      • #5 MISTAKE: Signing a medical authorization release for the other driver’s insurance company
      • #6 MISTAKE: Not telling your medical providers about any previous similar medical problems or issues prior to your car accident
      • #7 MISTAKE: Posting information about your car accident on social media.
      • #8 MISTAKE: Losing track of the other driver’s contact information and photos from the car accident.
      • #9 MISTAKE: Not having a medical provider coordinating your treatment following a car accident.
      • #10 MISTAKE: Not talking with an attorney before settling your personal injury case.
    • Personal Injury Claims Do’s & Dont’s
      • 1. What is the most important thing to do immediately after a car accident?
      • 2. Do I need a personal injury lawyer if I’ve been in a car accident?
      • 3. How much will it cost me to hire a personal injury attorney?
      • 4. Do I have a personal injury case?
      • 5. How are my medical bills and lost wages paid if I’ve been injured in a car accident?
      • 6. What if the driver who caused the car accident does not have car insurance?
      • 7. How long do I have to settle a personal injury claim after a car accident?
      • 8. What does the other driver’s insurance company not want me to know about my rights if I’ve been injured in a car accident?
      • 9. How do I find out what my personal injury case is worth?
      • 10. What’s the most important thing I can do to recover from my injuries after a car accident?
    • Medical Bills & Wage Loss
      • 1. How are my medical bills paid and what is Personal Injury Protection (PIP)?
      • 2. How is my wage loss paid if I’ve been injured in a car accident?
      • 3. Can I see the medical providers of my choice following a car accident?
      • 4. How are my medical bills paid if I’m hit by a car while walking or riding a bicycle?
      • 5. What happens if my PIP runs out, and I still need treatment?
      • 6. What should I NOT do if the insurance company is threatening to stop paying for my medical treatment?
      • 7. What should I do if my injuries return after I’ve completed treatment?
      • 8. Will PIP cover my lost wages because of medical appointments?
      • 9. The PIP carrier keeps calling me and asking about my treatment, should I talk to them?
      • 10. If I’m using the PIP from my insurance company, they will treat me better, right?
    • Independent Medical Exams
      • 1. What is an Independent Medical Exam (IME)?
      • 2. Why am I being sent for an Independent Medical Exam (IME)?
      • 3. Do I have to go to the Independent Medical Exam (IME)?
      • 4. What are the effects of an Independent Medical Exam (IME) on my treatment from a car accident?
      • 5. What do I need to know about the Independent Medical Exam (IME) doctor?
      • 6. How do I prepare for the Independent Medical Exam (IME)?
      • 7. What do I tell the IME doctor if I have had similar problems in the past?
      • 8. What is the biggest mistake I can make if I’m going to an IME?
      • 9. What’s most important when you’ve been injured through the fault of another?
      • 10. What will it cost me to talk to an attorney about the Independent Medical Exam (IME)?
  • For Providers
    • Practical Information About Your Patient’s Personal Injury Claim
    • Providers How to Help Your Patients Avoid the Most Common Personal Injury Mistakes
      • #1 MISTAKE: Your patient settling their claim before they’re done treating from a car accident
      • #2 MISTAKE: Your patient signing a medical authorization for the adverse insurance company
      • #3 MISTAKE: Your patient not having a medical provider coordinating their care following an accident
      • #4 MISTAKE: Not asking your patient enough questions about potential preexisting conditions
      • #5 MISTAKE: Your patient posting information about their injuries on social media
      • #6 MISTAKE: Your patient’s chart notes look the same as all your other chart notes
      • #7 MISTAKE: Not asking enough questions about how fast the other car was going
      • #8 Finding Hidden PIP Policies
      • #9 The Downside to Billing Health Insurance
      • #10 Not Double-Checking Information Filled Out at Check-in Time
    • Personal Injury Claims FAQ
    • Medical Bills & Wages Loss
    • Insurance Medical Exams (IME)
  • Contact
#1 MISTAKE: Your patient settling their claim before they’re done treating from a car accident

#1 MISTAKE: Your patient settling their claim before they’re done treating from a car accident

Settling their claim before they’re done treating is the number one mistake your patient can make when it comes to their personal injury claim. Your patient having a full recovery is what’s most important. If the insurance company adjuster for the other person’s carrier tries to get your patient to settle their claim, you should advise them not to until they’re done treating.

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#2 MISTAKE: Your patient signing a medical authorization for the adverse insurance company

#2 MISTAKE: Your patient signing a medical authorization for the adverse insurance company

If your patient signs a medical authorization for the adverse insurance company before they’re done treating from their car accident, the insurance company will use the information in your patient’s medical records to pressure the PIP carrier to stop paying the medical bills.

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#3 MISTAKE: Your patient not having a medical provider coordinating their care following an accident

#3 MISTAKE: Your patient not having a medical provider coordinating their care following an accident

If you have a patient who is seeing several medical providers for treatment following a car accident — so they avoid problems with their personal injury claim, they should designate one of their providers to act as the coordinator of their medical care. It’s a good idea to be proactive and talk with your patient about this to help them avoid issues of over treatment and PIP being exhausted before they’re done treating.

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#4 MISTAKE: Not asking your patient enough questions about potential preexisting conditions

#4 MISTAKE: Not asking your patient enough questions about potential preexisting conditions

Not asking enough questions about potential preexisting conditions your patient may have is the fourth biggest mistake that can happen with your patient’s personal injury claim.
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Talking with your patient and getting information about their preexisting injuries is critical to their care and also their claim. Coming up with varied ways to ask your patient questions will help you draw out the information you need to help them — and help you.

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#5 MISTAKE: Your patient posting information about their injuries on social media

#5 MISTAKE: Your patient posting information about their injuries on social media

Your patient posting information about their car accident and injuries on their social media is the fifth biggest mistake the can make with their personal injury claim. When first meeting with a patient who has been injured in a car accident, let your patient know when you first meet with them, that they should be careful about posting on social media — this will help protect their claim.

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#6 MISTAKE: Your patient’s chart notes look the same as all your other chart notes

#6 MISTAKE: Your patient’s chart notes look the same as all your other chart notes

Your patient’s chart notes that look the same as all your other chart notes in their file is one of the biggest mistakes you can make in your patient’s personal injury claim. When chart noting, make sure that your notes don’t look overly similar. Think about how they’re going to viewed by someone who knows nothing about chart notes.

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#7 MISTAKE: Not asking enough questions about how fast the other car was going

#7 MISTAKE: Not asking enough questions about how fast the other car was going

Not asking enough questions about how fast the other car was going is the seventh biggest mistake that we see happening in your patients personal injury claims. This is in one of those categories that has to do with maintaining your credibility. If the information that you get from your patient is not accurate and you’re basing your opinion on false information — it’s going to undercut your credibility.

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#8 Finding Hidden PIP Policies

#8 Finding Hidden PIP Policies

Not asking enough questions about possible hidden PIP policies is the 8th biggest mistake that can be made in your patient’s personal injury claim. One of the most helpful things that you can do to ensure that your patient is able to get all the medical treatment they need to have a full recovery from their injuries is to ask more in-depth questions about possible PIP policies they may have.

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#9 The Downside to Billing Health Insurance

#9 The Downside to Billing Health Insurance

Initially, it seems to make sense to bill health insurance for treatment caused by an accident after PIP is exhausted. Unfortunately, there can be unseen problems billing health insurance.

One of the lesser-known problems with billing health insurance companies for motor vehicle collisions (especially with Moda and Providence) is that their medical insurance policies have what is called “Future Penalty Clauses.”

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#10 Not Double-Checking Information Filled Out at Check-in Time

#10 Not Double-Checking Information Filled Out at Check-in Time

Not double-checking the information that your patient completed during their check-in is the tenth biggest mistake that can happen in your patient’s personal injury claim.

This is a critical element of your patient’s personal injury claim that you have complete control over and is one of the most important aspects of you maintaining your credibility as a medical provider.

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Bridge City Law Injured in a Car Accident

Top 10 Personal Injury Claim Mistakes to Avoid

Personal Injury Claims Do’s & Don’ts

Medical Bills & Wages Loss

Independent Medical Exams (IME)

Bridge City Law Firm Logo

610 SW Alder Street, Suite 600
Portland, Oregon 97205
Phone: 503-274-0404
Text: 503-274-0404
Fax: 503-274-0004
Info@BridgeCityLawFirm.com

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Relevant, practical, and ongoing information for Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, Physical Therapists, Osteopaths, Naturopaths, Nurse Practitioners, Massage Therapists, and Pain Management Specialists on how to advocate for your patients when working through the complexity of the personal injury claim process.

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Southwest Alder Street
Portland, Oregon 97205
(503) 274-0404

Bridge City Law | Accident & Injury Lawyers

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© 2022 Bridge City Law
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
2021 Torch Awards Finalist
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