Depending on the nature of your injury, your doctor may recommend a variety of treatments, including: physiotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, yoga, active rehabilitation, and kinesiology. These treatments may not only improve your medical condition, but if you have been injured in a car accident, a good treatment provider can actually increase your settlement with ICBC.
As an injured party you have a duty to mitigate your losses by seeking proper treatment for your injuries. When an injured party’s case goes to trial and the judge decides that they have not sought proper treatment, the judge may decrease their settlement substantially. Judges have been known to reduce settlements by 25% or more when an injured party does not seek and cooperate with proper treatment.
It may also be necessary to call your treatment provider as a witness. It is important to seek a knowledgeable and experienced professional who can act as an advocate for you. In the event of a trial, a large part of your case will depend not only on your own testimony but on the testimony of your doctors and treatment providers. They may testify on a variety of subjects, including: injuries they observed, treatment they provided you with, and how you responded to their suggestions for treatment. Without this evidence, your odds of achieving a good settlement will be substantially reduced.
A good treatment provider will improve the quality of your life not just through treatment they provide but by maximizing the economic gains from your personal injury case. Those living in Vancouver and the lower mainland are fortunate in that they have a variety of excellent treatment providers to choose from.
