Many people are told, especially by online forums, that exaggerating your pain to a doctor is the only way to win an injury/accident claim these days. As your Longshoreman accident lawyer, be clear, this article is not telling you to lie or exaggerate to a doctor in any way. But this article does cover why the “Exaggerate to your doctor” advice is so prevalent and explains why it is both useful and why it may trip you up when you make your claim.
Being Stoic Means You Get a Smaller Payment
This is a very toxic piece of advice, but it is mostly true. The people who grit their teeth and wince through the pain are less likely to get a payment than those who complain frequently about their pain.
Your claim is not going to be paid based on how strong your pain medication was, but a difference in the terms used can make an impact on your payment. For example, the difference between “Moderate” and “Severe” can spell a difference in thousands.
For these reasons, you can see why so many people think that exaggerating your pain is a good idea, be it exaggerating to a doctor or legal professional. However, exaggerating is lying, and when you lie, you put yourself at great risk.
Your Level of Pain May Differ
Before getting into the risks you place yourself under when you lie, it should be pointed out that people have different levels of pain. What is excruciating to you may be merely moderate to another. This is why the “Kicked in the testicles” and “Pain during childbirth” has been going on for so long. The difference between what people feel in terms of pain shouldn’t be remedied with exaggerations. Instead, consider the intensity of the pain, when it strikes, how long it lasts, how much medication makes it go away, and what you are unable to do when you are in pain. This may help explain to a legal team, and to a doctor, how much pain you are in.
Seeing Through Your Lies
Your Longshoreman accident lawyer will insist you tell the truth because people are often tripped up by their lies. Many medical conditions have very varied pain symptoms. Some pain symptoms do not occur right away but occur and get worse later. Some occur during the morning and night and ease off during the day. Pain symptoms can come in bouts or maybe lingering and last all day. By claiming you are in excruciating pain all the time may make a doctor suspect that you are lying, at which point you can kiss your claim goodbye.
What a Longshoreman Accident Lawyer Recommends
As your Longshoreman accident lawyer will agree, there is no need to lie during your case, which includes “Not” lying to your doctor about how much pain you are in. However, you should make sure you are very clear about the pain you are in. Make sure that your pain and discomfort are not brushed aside or overlooked. As with every stage of your case, insist that your voice is heard and that the short-term, mid-term, and long-term consequences of your pain are heard. If you need further advice on how to get the most out of your accident or injury claim, then contact Belal Hamideh Law and get a consultation about your options.