Parking lot accidents can be minor or end in serious injury.
Vehicle Hits Utility Pole, Rolls Over 5 Vehicles After Fleeing Police
According to a KSAT News report, two men have been hospitalized following a high-speed accident on the North Side yesterday.
Police reported beginning a vehicle pursuit after a vehicle swerved out of their lane multiple times and ran a stop sign near Jackson Keller and Loop 410 at around 2:10 a.m. Thursday. Police ceased the pursuit after it reached speeds of 80 mph and shortly thereafter saw a bright light, believing a transformer blew. They found the vehicle in the parking lot of a car repair shop after it evidently crashed into the utility pole and rolled over 5 parked vehicles. The two men inside were transported to the hospital by EMS in critical condition.
Did You Know?
Car accidents cause roughly 1 trillion in costs every year in the United States.
What is an IME?
If you’ve ever filed an insurance claim after an auto accident in San Antonio, you’ve probably been requested to take an IME or an “Independent Medical Examination,” by the insurance company.
So, what exactly is an IME, and why do insurance companies request them so often? Let’s take a look.
IMEs Explained
An independent medical examination is neither independent nor is it a medical examination. It’s essentially a medical exam used as a defense by the insurance company. What are they defending against? That’s simple — paying out your insurance claim.
The point of these medical exams is to discredit your injury so that they can prove:
- It’s not as serious as you initially claimed, or
- It happened before the accident and does not qualify for a claim.
The doctor who will be examining you is not your doctor — rather, he/she is paid by the insurance company and is usually associated with the insurance company to perform your “exam,” in which they are incentivized to write a report that will hurt your claim.
To help with this, you will be required to share your medical records with this doctor so that they can search through your history to find ways to pay less on your claim. To protect yourself as much as possible, here’s a few tips:
- Request a copy of the records provided to the insurer
- Never sign a blank, open-ended release
- Include an expiration date on the release stating when they can no longer access this information
- Sign a separate release for each provider with specific dates they are allowed to access
Get Expert Advice Before Attending Your IME
IMEs are designed to prove that you don’t deserve compensation for your injuries. Shady tactics have been used in these types of examinations like:
- Reporting “drug-seeking behaviors” for pain medication requests
- Reporting “malingering behavior” for a work excuse request
A Carabin Shaw personal injury attorney can prepare you for your IME so you don’t get caught in an insurance trap. Knowing what to expect and what not to say during an IME can mean the difference between fair compensation and a denied claim.
Insurance Demanding an IME? Call Carabin Shaw
If your insurance is demanding an IME after your San Antonio auto accident, call our attorneys immediately at 800-862-1260. We’ve helped those injured across San Antonio protect their rights against big insurance companies for 30 years because we care. We look forward to serving you.
Contacting a Carabin Shaw attorney does not obligate you to work with the firm and is free of charge.