Should I Agree to Sign A Medical Release For The Insurance Adjuster in Georgia?

Whenever someone is injured in a car accident in Georgia that was caused by another person, that persons insurance company will immediately begin working behind the scenes to prepare to defend their client.

And what I see happen many times is the person that was injured makes a terrible mistake and endevors to handle their motor vehicle crash in Georgia on their own.  And as part of that process the insurance adjuster will politely ask or even require that the injured person sign a medical release so the adjuster can obtain their personal medical records.

The greater predicament with this, and what is not usually deliberated is the legal language of the medical release itself.

It often gives the adjuster the right to look into your medical background and does not restrict them to investigating the car crash only. The adjuster will use this information to seek out other injuries you may have had to the body parts you claim for your accident. Why do they do this?

Well, the obvious reason is it gives them an opportunity to claim that your injury was a pre-existing condition or your condition is the result of an incident that occurred prior to the car crash and was not the direct result of the auto collision. They will in turn alter their reserves or lower the value of the claim which means you get less money overall.

My recommendation is this – it is important that you not sign or give anything to the insurance companies until you have spoken with legal counsel to find out if it is in your best interest to sign whatever document they are requesting. And a word of warning for those that have been injured in a car accident. Some adjusters have gone so far as to inform the injured person they will not be able to work on your claim unless you authorize the papers they request.

This may or may not be true but if that happens to you, you should contact an attorney immediately to find out your legal rights. An attorney can help you and discover exactly what the insurance company is up to regarding your claim so that your rights are protected and not exploited.

If you are a loved one has been in an auto accident and you need help, do not hesitate to contact me at 770-948-5454 and see if this Atlanta Auto Accident Attorney can be of assistance to you and/or your loved one.

Ty Wilson is a personal injury and car accident attorney in Atlanta that assists those that have been injured in automobile accidents in the Atlanta Metro area.