Anytime you require another accommodation or have another loss after an accident, it increases your personal injury settlement, so if you need physical therapy, it will increase your settlement. The cost of physical therapy (PT) can add a good amount to your settlement.
Our personal injury lawyers in Lafayette at Laborde Earles explain how needing physical therapy can help you increase your settlement and how our team of lawyers can help you. We offer a free consultation to help you understand your case’s strengths.
Common Injuries that Require Physical Therapy
Muscle and ligament strains are very commonly treated with physical therapy, no matter which part of the body is affected. Whether it’s a back strain, shoulder strain, knee strain, or strain in another area, these types of injuries benefit greatly from the strengthening and range of motion exercises provided in PT.
Physical therapy is also extremely helpful for recovering from joint injuries like ankle sprains or wrist sprains. PT helps to decompress any swollen tissues, improve mobility, and strengthen the surrounding muscles after a serious sprain.
Physical therapy plays an important role in rehabilitation after fractures, especially those occurring in the limbs. PT is needed after casting is removed to rehabilitate the injured joint, gradually improve movement, and ensure the safe resumption of weight-bearing activities.
Soft tissue injuries to things like the neck from whiplash or other traumas also respond well to manual therapies, postural education, and focus on functional movement, which is a big part of physical therapy treatment. Finally, physical therapy provides indispensable assistance in the recovery process following orthopedic surgeries like knee replacements or shoulder repairs to help patients regain function and mobility.
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientDoes Physical Therapy Increase a Workers’ Compensation Settlement?
The short answer is yes; undergoing physical therapy can help increase the amount you recover in a workers’ compensation settlement. There are a few key reasons for this:
- Physical therapy provides objective proof of ongoing injuries and the need for continued treatment. Settlement amounts typically factor in future medical costs. Extensive PT demonstrates the severity of the condition.
- An extensive physical therapy record shows injuries were not minor, and resolving them may take significant time, effort, and expense. This justifies a higher settlement value.
- If PT is helping the claimant return to work sooner by improving mobility and functionality, the insurer saves money. They may offer a higher settlement to avoid paying ongoing wage replacement benefits.
- Settlement negotiations carry more weight when accompanied by detailed PT progress notes and before and after photos from the therapist helping you with the injury.
If you’ve been injured on the job, our Lafayette workers’ compensation lawyers can help you through the legal process. We’ll calculate your losses and give you a free consultation estimate of your settlement, including your physical therapy.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientEstablishing Causation Between Injury and PT Needs
Connecting the need for physical therapy directly to the injury-causing incident is important in obtaining compensation through a settlement or trial. You must establish the causal link between the accident and subsequent treatment needs. Some ways this can be done include:
- Having the treating therapist provide a detailed report directly relating the onset of symptoms to the specific accident.
- Obtaining diagnostic imaging films clearly showing trauma that correlates timeline-wise to the event.
- Producing emergency records showing you at the scene around the time of injury.
- Articulate in detail how the mechanics of the accident could have plausibly generated the specific injury pattern.
- Ensuring therapy began within a medically reasonable timeframe after the incident occurred.
- Addressing possible alternative causes raised by the defendant and excluding them through medical evidence.
- Citing medical literature supporting causal associations between incident mechanisms and injury types.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientHow To Document Physical Therapy Thoroughly
Keeping thorough records of your physical therapy treatment is important for proving the full extent of your injuries in a settlement. Proper documentation can help increase the value of your claim. Some things to keep track of include:
- Details of each PT session, such as dates, duration, specific exercises, and activities performed
- Progress notes from your therapist on range of motion, strength improvements, ongoing pain levels
- Before and after photos that showcase physical changes over time
- Copies of bills and explanation of benefits statements from your insurance
- Prescribed home exercises and your compliance with the home program
- Notes on activities you’re still unable to do due to pain or limited functionality.
- Second opinions or referrals to specialists you may have seen
Be sure to organize all PT records in a binder for easy accessibility. This comprehensive paper trail gives a complete picture of your injury recovery process and shows why ongoing care is still required.
Coordinating with Your Lawyer Throughout Treatment
Coordinating closely with your Lafayette personal injury attorney throughout the entire physical therapy process is extremely important for properly handling your legal case and positioning yourself to achieve an optimal settlement. Working closely together, you and your lawyer can appropriately assess when maximum medical improvement has been reached in order to close out physical therapy treatment before pursuing settlement discussions.
Keeping our lawyers informed further ensures we are aware of any potential gaps in treatment, missed sessions, or compliance issues that could come up in cross-examination, enabling our team at Laborde Earles to strategize effective responses.
The ongoing communication also permits your lawyer to leverage updated physical therapy progress reports and documented functional improvements into gradually increasing settlement demands over time as recovery progresses. Proper legal timing can further be assessed for utilizing life care plans that outline projected needs for future physical therapy, providing support for larger settlement figures.
They treated us like no other people would. Whenever we needed something they were there for us. I put my trust in them and I don’t regret it.
ClientLearn More About How Physical Therapy Can Increase Your Settlement
At Laborde Earles, our Lafayette personal injury attorneys can tell you how much needing physical therapy can add to your personal injury settlement. We’ll also answer questions about your case and help you get justice for the injuries you’ve suffered.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
