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Does Surgery Increase Injury Settlement Amounts?

Getting injured in an accident is always painful, time-consuming, and expensive. Insurance is supposed to pay for your medical bills and repairs to your car when you are in a crash. Because your bills will almost always be higher if you need to have surgery than if you do not, the amount of money you get in a settlement is likely to be higher as well. 

According to 1-800-Injured, the more complicated the surgery is, the more money it will cost. In some cases, you may be able to get money for pain and suffering if your injuries are severe enough. Generally, the type of injuries that will net pain and suffering compensation are injuries that will require surgery. 

You should never have surgery that you do not need in the hopes of getting more money. Going under the knife is always dangerous. An insurance company is likely to fight you on costs for surgery that you did not absolutely need, so it is always best to stick to your doctor’s recommendations.

What Types Of Injuries Require Surgery?

Several common types of car accident injuries often result in the need for surgery. If you have an operation, you are likely to require time off work, so the insurance company should also compensate you for this. 

Broken Bones

When a person breaks a bone, a doctor will normally try to isolate it so that it can fuse back together. This will generally be done with a splint. If the bone is broken in more than one place or if there is an open wound at the break site, surgery will often be necessary. 

In addition to surgery, a person who has broken a bone is likely to need physical therapy. It can take anywhere from six weeks to several months for a broken bone to heal. 

Physical therapy should enable you to regain your full range of motion in the limb that was broken. The insurance company should pay you for this time and pay for your physical therapy transportation. 

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Disfiguring Facial Scars

Facial disfigurement sometimes results from a car accident. A person who has sustained injuries to the skin and bones on their face may need reconstructive surgery, but insurance companies are often reluctant to pay plastic surgery costs. They may try to argue that this kind of surgery is cosmetic.

It is very important to have a personal injury attorney by your side when you try to recover costs for this type of surgery. Not only should the insurance company pay for your surgery, but your insurance company may even owe you money for pain and suffering if the surgery does not fully correct the deformity.

A personal injury attorney will have the training and experience to negotiate with the insurance company of the party responsible for causing the accident. They will have the necessary skills to negotiate with the insurance adjuster in charge of your case. 

Back Surgery 

Rear-end accidents are one of the most common types of car collisions and often result in back injuries. Back injuries can be very traumatic and will often require surgery. Typical back surgeries include:

  • Spinal Fusion – This is normally done if a person has herniated discs or spinal fractures. A spinal fusion is intended to alleviate pain by joining vertebrae together. This type of surgery can cost between $80,000 to $150,000.
     
  • Vertebroplasty – This is done after the spine has been fractured. Bone cement gets injected into a vertebra during this procedure. This surgery costs about $11,577.
  • Discectomy – If a herniated disc is severely damaged in an accident, it may need to be removed. A discectomy costs between $20,000 and $50,000.

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The best way to get money after a car accident is to document every expense that you have and to hire a good injury attorney. An accident can be devastating, but proper compensation can help you live a more comfortable life.

HP Thoughts: You were in an accident, received medical procedures, and were billed with staggering hospital and miscellaneous fees! What do you do? How will you address this issue with your credit card company? Read our post here — Can Medical Bills Affect Your Credit Report.

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