Does Getting Surgery Affect the Value of an Injury Claim?

Surgery may be a viable treatment option for a wide variety of injuries, including injuries suffered in a car crash or other type of accident caused by negligence.

Sometimes surgery can fix a problem or fix a significant percentage of the problem. Other times surgery is necessary to save the victim’s life or simply to stabilize an injury. Surgery is sometimes about improving the victim’s quality of life.  

While surgery is often expensive, even if it is considered minor surgery, some surgeries are more expensive than others.

These are just some of the reasons why the impact of surgery on an injury claim can vary significantly. Sometimes surgery can make an injury claim worth more and sometimes surgery can make a claim less valuable.

Below, we discuss how surgery can impact the value of an injury claim and why the value of a claim should not impact the decision about whether to get surgery. If you were injured in an accident caused by another’s negligence, give us a call today. We are prepared to help you seek full compensation for your damages.

How Surgery Could Drive Up the Value of an Injury Claim

Many people who have had surgery know how expensive it can be, especially when they receive multiple bills in the mail to pay various medical providers, such as:

• Anesthesiologists
• Surgeons
• Medical specialists
• Surgeons
• Hospitals/medical facilities

Sometimes providers were only involved in the procedure for a matter of minutes, but their services could cost hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars.

There are additional costs for things that happen before and after the procedure. For example, you may need to stay in the hospital overnight or for longer after the procedure. Doctors may need to observe how your body responds to the procedure and ensure you are stable and fit enough to go home.

There may be additional costs even after you go home. For example, you may need to attend follow-up appointments to check stitches or assess other aspects of your recovery. You may need prescription medication to help prevent infection and manage pain.

Sometimes physical therapy is necessary after surgery. For example, you may need to limit your physical activity for a certain period. This can result in weakening of certain muscles and you would need therapy to build strength and help regain lost mobility.

If you suffer a significant fracture, you may need to have screws or plates inserted to help bones come back together. These may need to be removed later so you would need more surgery.

While many surgical procedures go according to plan, sometimes there are complications. This could be even more likely if you need emergency surgery because there is less time for surgeons to plan. Complications could include:

• Infection
• Excessive bleeding
• Damage to internal organs
• Reactions to anesthesia or other drugs

Complications could easily result in additional medical expenses.

When Surgery May Not Increase the Value of an Injury Claim

There are times when surgery can fix a medical problem, so much so that the victim may not need much if any additional treatment. This might happen with a broken bone or potentially a soft-tissue injury.

There are other times when surgery might not heal an injury, but surgery may stabilize it. That may be the best doctors can hope for with some injuries.

If the surgery is successful and the victim does not suffer complications, the claim may be much less expensive than a claim for a victim whose surgery did not go well.

It is important not to get surgery because you are hoping it will increase the value of your claim. You should only get surgery if it is recommended by doctors. If you get surgery that is not recommended by your doctors, the insurance company may exclude the expense of this surgery from your claim.

Your decision about getting surgery should be based on discussions with doctors and your family. Sometimes doctors may say you could get surgery or pursue other treatment options and both options would be supported by your doctors. You need to consider the risks of surgery and what level of risk you are willing to accept.

There are so many factors that influence the value of a claim. Your Cleveland personal injury attorney can determine the value of your claim and focus on pursuing full compensation for your damages. Make sure to find an experienced attorney with a history of results in cases like yours. That way you should have peace of mind that your claim is in good hands, and you can make the right decisions about your medical treatment and other aspects of your recovery.

Injuries That Commonly Need Surgery

There are numerous injuries that may require surgery, including:

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Bleeding in the brain or an open-head injury, which occurs when your skull is pierced by something, likely needs to be treated with surgery. Bleeding in the brain can be fatal if left untreated. If the victim suffers an open-head injury, surgery may be able to stabilize the injury and limit further long-term damage.

Spinal Cord Injuries

If you suffer a broken vertebra, doctors may need to do spinal fusion to prevent further damage to the spinal cord. Compression of the spinal cord or a herniated disc may benefit from surgery. It all depends on the diagnosis and the damage you suffered.

Internal Organ Injuries

It may be possible to repair damage to an internal organ or limit further damage. In some cases, a transplant may be necessary because the organ has failed, and it cannot be fixed. Surgery is often necessary to repair bleeding in an internal organ, such as a punctured lung or ruptured spleen.

Internal Bleeding

Doctors may need to go in to stop internal bleeding to save a victim’s life.

Broken Bones

Surgery could be necessary with severe fractures where the bones can be reset and put into a cast. Bones may have chipped, and these fragments need to be removed.

Contact Frieman, Domiano and Smith for Legal Help

It is understandable to have questions about what to do after a personal injury. Our experienced attorneys are here to help you sort through your legal options, and there are no upfront costs for our help.

Give us a call today to learn more. The initial consultation is free of charge. We have secured millions on behalf of our clients over multiple decades.