My Car Accident Aggravated an Old Injury – Will Treatment Be Covered?

Car accidents can cause a wide range of injuries, from minor bruises and scratches to very serious injuries that require immediate medical attention. A perfectly healthy person can be seriously affected by a car accident. If the victim already had previous injuries, the effects of a collision could be even more serious. 

Part of the aftermath of a car accident is the legal battle of finding who is guilty of the accident, who is liable, and how the victim will be compensated for their injuries, pain, and suffering. 

However, often, insurance companies do their best to minimize the costs of car accident claims by exploiting old injuries and pre-existing conditions. Insurers are liable for the damage caused by the accident and by it alone. Insurance scams or invalid claims involve making claims for damage that was caused by something else, prior to or following the accident. These circumstances enable insurance companies to put the blame on pre-existing injuries for your damage, therefore denying your claim or reducing the settlement amount they accept. 

What If Your Car Accident Aggravates a Pre-Existing Injury?

While old injuries do make you more susceptible to damage, it doesn’t mean that you can’t get compensated for the added damage. The difficult part is determining how much worse your injury got, and how the car accident is the cause for it. 

In case there is an unreasonably low offer from the insurance company, you might need to sue them for proper compensation. Needless to say, speaking with an experienced St. Louis car injury lawyer is highly recommended. The good news is, car accident lawyers generally work on a contingency fee.

The best-case scenario is if you did not see a doctor about your pre-existing injury in the months before the accident, and evidence shows that you were leading an active lifestyle. If the accident makes you seek medical treatment and affects your routine activities, you can prove that your pre-existing injury was aggravated by the accident itself. 

How to Get a Fair Compensation for Your Aggravated Injury?

In order to gather the evidence needed to prove the liability of the insurance company, you have to give them access to your previous medical records. Make sure to see your doctor as soon as possible after the accident to see if your treatment scheme might have to be changed. 

Speak with an experienced St. Louis car accident lawyer who can deal with the proceedings and guide you through the process. Focus on your recovery and don’t discuss the details of your case with others, not even close ones. 

You are entitled to fair compensation to cover the medical treatment, lost wages, pain and suffering, and all the expenses brought by your aggravated injury.