Personal Injury Case and Arbitration
May 11, 2011 by drburt Leave a Comment
Today’s post is not so much about health but about personal injury case, arbitration and insurance company which does not wish to compensate injured patient after he was involved in a car accident. I had an opportunity to present the case for one of my patients against insurance company which is not willing to compensate him for pain and suffering post motor vehicle accident. Besides my patient and me, the plaintiff attorney was in the room and neurologist who helped to manage the care when the pain level was unbearable for my patient. On the other side was a defense attorney and defense orthopedist (insurance company is using this orthopedist deliberately for reporting purposes only – about this later). The last person was a gentleman who was in the middle of this madness – the Arbitrator.
The arbitration process is not as serious as a deposition or a trial for personal injury cases. The process began by cross examining the patient from defense and plaintiff sides. I was not allowed to be present in the room during this process. The second cross examination was for a neurologist who was co managing the care for this patient. Again I was not allowed to be present in the room during this process. I was a third person to be crossed examined by both sides. Plaintiff attorney began asking me questions about pre and post health condition of this particular patient. The main complaint of the patient was persistent lower back pain which radiated down his left lower extremity. The questions were very specific and were leading to a specific conclusion – that this particular injured individual has never had shooting lower back pain prior to this accident. My thorough documentation has proved that this was the case. When the time came for a defense attorney to cross examine me, that person completely relied on an orthopedist‘s report, which was obviously geared towards the benefit of the insurance company. The problem is that the defense orthopedist spent perhaps at the most thirty minutes with this patient and can not possibly know everything about his health history. Some anecdotal studies and examples were included in the report which had no supportive values for defense attorney and insurance company. Orthopedist does not have much of a clinical experience and is specializing in report writing only. This doctor was called for cross examination right after me.
Car Accident During Rainy Season In San Francisco Bay Area
March 28, 2011 by drburt 1 Comment
It has been raining very hard in San Francisco Bay Area during this rainy season. The last couple of weeks was heavier than usual. Land slides, damaged properties and numerous car accidents on the road. During summer people get used to driving in constant dry conditions knowing that there will not be a drop of rain water on a freeway. However, when rainy season arrives and freeways and roads are being washed with the first drops of rain and old oil and grease from the vehicle turn the concrete on freeways into and ice skate ring. Californians loose a guard of driving over the summer. Thus, is the reason for high number of car accident in the entire State of California and San Francisco Bay Area in general. My San Leandro Chiropractic Clinic and five other clinics see way more patients during the rainy season. All drivers must understand how to drive during the rainy season and what can cause automobile accident.
A great number of drivers do not know how to drive during a rainy season. There are two types of drivers during bad weather conditions: those who lack confidence and those who are reckless drivers. Both types are dangerous on the roads.
Filed Under: Auto Accidents Tagged With: automobile accidents, car accident, car accident injuries, car safety, cars, cars accident, chiropractic clinics, during, Rain, rain water, rainy season, road safety, road transport, san francisco, san francisco bay area, san leandro, traffic, traffic law
July 31, 2010 by drburt 5 Comments
Personal injury is a term often used to describe an injury most commonly caused by a car accident. It may also include other types of injury such as a slip or fall. Whiplash is most commonly associated with rear-end car collisions in which the heads of those in the front car are suddenly snapped back and forth by the impact. It is more accurately called cervical acceleration/deceleration (CAD) trauma or syndrome, which describes the rapid movements that can injure the vertebrae of the neck and the muscles and ligaments that support them.
Who suffers from whiplash?
Anyone can be subjected to whiplash, even in a low-force car crash at speeds as low as 5mph. But injuries associated with whiplash can also result from other mishaps in which the head is pushed or jerked beyond its normal range of motion. Whiplash most commonly causes serious and lingering neck pain, but there may also be back pain, headaches and dizziness. As much as bruising of the brain can sometimes occur in auto accidents. Severe cases of whiplash, may include symptoms such as blurred vision, ringing in the ears, nausea and numbness.