The Impact of Physical Therapy on Personal Injury Claims

Coming back from a severe injury after an accident can be difficult and disheartening, especially if there is rehab needed. We see this a lot with car accident injuries, slip and fall injuries, and construction site injuries. Healing is incredibly important, and too many people forgo getting necessary medical attention after an incident.

One type of treatment that can be helpful in the healing process if there is a personal injury claim is physical therapy. This ongoing assessment and treatment can also play a critical role in personal injury settlements.

Physical therapy can help your personal injury case because it creates a recorded analysis from healthcare professionals starting shortly after the incident and throughout the recovery process. The analysis serves to document the severity of injuries and the impact on your day-to-day life.

Physical therapy has two primary goals:

Help people return to their pre-injury level of function;
Assist people in returning to their pre-injury work duties and daily routines by helping them reach Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).

We will discuss how physical therapy can have a positive impact on personal injury settlements from both medical and legal standpoints.

What is Physical Therapy and How Can It Help Personal Injury Claims

Physical therapy is a form of rehabilitation focused on restoring physical function and mobility.

This medical treatment can include:

Mobility exercises
Manual therapy
Strength training
Cardiovascular training
Pain management
Education on body mechanics and lifestyle modification

Physical therapists focus on physical ailments, allowing you to heal and return to a state of good physical health with an improved range of motion, strength, balance, and function.

Proving Injury Impact with Physical Therapy

When there is a lawsuit for your injury, counsel will look to prove the impact around pain and suffering.

A physical therapist’s report on how the injury is affecting your mobility, the future of your recovery, and necessary adjustment in lifestyle make the impact more credible and transparent to claims adjusters, insurance defense lawyers and, ultimately, the jury.

When physical therapy is included as part of a treatment regimen following an injury claim, it can help secure a higher settlement amount because, again, it creates a medical report that illustrates the impact of the injury, both present and future.

Identifying the Benefits of Physical Therapy for Personal Injury Settlements

The sequence of events immediately following an injury is overwhelming no matter the severity. It is always unexpected and no one is really prepared for what happens next.

An overlooked step — often for auto accident injuries — is physical therapy. Damage to tendons, joints, neck, or back and concussions can have an impact that goes far beyond the point of the incident and requires future medical care.

Benefits to physical therapy include:

Identifying an injury’s impact on daily life
Impact on future quality of life
Identify lifestyle modifications needed
Pain management
Improve range of motion and mobility
Joint mobilization
Manual stretching
Improve overall physical function
Reduce future risk of injury
Improve cardiovascular health and endurance
Medical professional’s record into the extent of your injury
Tangible insights your personal injury attorney will share with the insurance companies

Don’t overlook attending physical therapy, as it can be beneficial in the healing process, document the nature and extent of the injuries sustained and, therefore, be of great benefit in your personal injury claim.

Understanding the Role of Physical Therapy in Maximizing Your Settlement

If you have sustained an injury in an accident, it is important to understand that physical therapy can play a critical role in negotiations with the insurance company.

Developing a comprehensive treatment plan with the guidance of a professional physical therapist could help maximize your settlement amount by demonstrating to the insurance company not only the seriousness of your injuries now, but also the potential medical costs associated in the long term.

This will enable them to offer a settlement amount that covers all aspects of your injury and its integral healing process.

It’s not just about what you paid in the past and present, but what you may need to continue paying in the future.

Exploring Types of Physical Therapy Used to Treat Injuries Resulting from Personal Injury Claims

The types of physical therapy used to treat such injuries can range from passive therapies that use methods such as therapeutic exercise, manual therapy and modalities like heat or ice packs, to more active interventions including various strengthening exercises.

Depending on the condition of the injury, physical therapists often create individualized treatment plans that are customized to their patient’s needs.

Ultimately, the goal is to help patients attain the highest achievable level of functionality and well-being possible — allowing them to live their life with more freedom and confidence.

In conclusion, physical therapy should be factored into your recovery process to maximize your ability to recover from your injuries.

Do not let the cost get in the way of healing. Physical therapy also offers evidence in your court case as medical records will outline how the incident has impacted your life — itemizing what needs to be done in the short-term and future to get your life back on track.

We hope this has provided you with helpful information about the value of physical therapy for those injured and how it can positively affect a personal injury settlement.

If you’ve been injured, don’t hesitate to reach out for a free consultation on your case — with no obligation or fee involved.

Our goal is to ensure that you get all the help you need during an obviously difficult time in your life.

Remember, every case is unique, so it’s essential to seek legal guidance to understand your rights and options.