The Hardest Part of Handling Auto Accident Claims
Do you know what the hardest part of handling auto accident claims is? It’s not what you think!
It’s not knowing and understanding the law. It’s not dealing with jaded, unsympathetic insurance adjusters. It’s not playing Dr. Phil to injured clients. You know what it is? It’s getting the #$%^&^%$%^&* medical records and bills for my clients. Yes. Getting medical records and medical bills related to the accident and associated injuries is the hardest part of handling auto accident claims!
Isn’t that surprising? Isn’t that a shame?
I’ve rationalized it to myself by saying that most health care providers didn’t go into medical school or whatever in order to administer their practices effectively and promptly provide attorneys with medical bills and records. Their priority is providing good health care, at least I hope it is, and I can get behind that. But man, it sure is frustrating trying to get these things from these folks.
You would think it would be easy. They keep records. I send a letter with a legally valid release. They print the stuff out or send it on a disc. Voila. Right? Should be easy, but man, I tell you it ain’t. Often times with small offices these requests are given LAST priority, so they get to them when they get to them. And when they are handled, they are handled by the person with the least seniority and training, so there’s no telling what you’ll get or when you’ll get it. Then you get some high-minded nutjobs who have attended a webinar so they think they are the world’s foremost authority on HIPAA and HITECH and as such they pass judgment on your medical release. In bigger institutions, they have entire offices set aside for these requests, but EITHER they are understaffed so it takes them 2 months to respond OR they take the position that unless you send the request three times you don’t really mean it. And then you have places that outsource this service, and in that case, you’re probably totally #$%^&.
Look, in the end, I’m a lawyer. I’m not a ninja. I’m not a mafioso. What I CAN do is send a valid request and release to your health care providers – the way they ask me to! – and then follow up and ask that they follow through with that request. I CANNOT subpoena these things without a lawsuit being filed. I CANNOT go over there (in most instances) and give them the stink eye until they comply, or sneak in at night and steal the crap. I CANNOT spend my entire day repeatedly calling these knuckleheads asking them to do their job.
So if you’re frustrated with how long it’s taking your attorney to get your medical records, please don’t blame him or her. Blame the health care provider who can’t press “print” and lick a stamp. Blame the health care provider who shirks responsibility for this aspect of their practice and outsources it. Blame the health care provider who changes their procedures for these requests every three and a half months and expects all of us to just know this by our inherent telepathic powers. Blame whoever you want, but don’t blame your attorney. I’m doing what I can.
P.S. This post has nothing to do with chiropractors. Those offices almost always have their $#!^ together and get me everything that I need promptly and professionally.
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