Most of us have had an injury which caused enough concern to justify seeing the local GP. Until we see the GP, we may have some idea of our injury and we’ll put up with the pain for a few days, or even weeks in some cases, but until we make that visit, we don’t know what the problem is or how severe it could be.

GP’s can’t diagnose every injury or ailment and that’s why they provide their patients with a ‘referral’ to a specific medical specialist. Your GP may even refer you to several specialists so all bases are covered.

The GP, with his or her medical experience and background, can evaluate your injury and send you in the direction of the right specialist medical practitioner. You may know you need an X-Ray but you can’t just turn up and demand one. You must get a letter of referral from your local Dr or GP before seeing any specialist.

Who do you contact when you are injured?

What is a Medical Specialist?

A medical specialist is an expert in a specific area of medicine. They are fully qualified doctors who have chosen to complete advanced education and clinical training in a unique field of medicine. If your GP has referred you to the correct sort of medical specialist, they will be able to correctly diagnose you and provide the necessary treatment. Their specialised skills and knowledge make them important.

Why is this important to me?

If you are injured in a car accident, public place or at work, the insurer will demand to see evidence of your injury. They will even make you visit their own medical specialists who can provide biased reports which state your injury is not as severe as other doctors have reported or that you will make a full recovery.

This can be disheartening for an injured individual who feels that in their time of need they are being hung out to dry by a corporation that should be supporting them.

How can Injury Compensation Lawyers HELP?

If you are our client we can make sure you are sent to the correct specialists to help you get diagnosed and recover, as well as help us build your claim with supporting evidence of your injury.

It’s our job to make sure you see the right medical specialist so:

  • we can take this to the insurer and argue why you need X amount of dollars in compensation;
  • allows us to make sure you get what you deserve and;
  • more importantly, provides us with ammunition to refute and reject any claims by your insurer to reduce your compensation.

In our next article we’ll tell you about the different sorts of medical specialists and how they affect claims as well as how we take care of costs involved.

In the meantime, if you have an injury and want advice, give us a call on 9299 1424.