Should I Sign a Medical Release Form After My Vehicle Accident? Houston Auto Accident Lawyer explains why you should NOT.

After a serious Houston car accident many people feel disoriented and unsure of how to proceed. You may be angry, or you may want to put the crash behind you and get on with your life. In the middle of your struggle to come to terms with what happened to you, the insurance company asks you to sign a medical release form. Do you just go ahead and sign it so you can get all the paperwork out of the way? After all, what’s the big deal?

Signing a Medical Release Isn't As Simple As You Would Think

Asking Texas auto accident victims to sign a medical release form is a common practice for many insurance companies. It might seem like a reasonable request to many people – after all, the insurer need to know about the injuries you suffered in the accident and how you were treated in order to properly reimburse you. But wait, it isn’t that simple. You might be giving the insurance company more information than they need; you could be giving them access to your entire medical history.

Really the answer all depends on what kind of medical release form the insurance company is asking for. Do they want a blanket release that allows them access to your entire medical history? Or, is the release very specific and asking for only records relevant to your injury?

The Real Reason the Insurance Company Wants You to Sign the Form

The purpose of a blanket release form is to give the company complete access to your medical records. One reason that the insurance company wants your records is to find out if you had a pre-existing condition that would allow them to deny your claim. A pre-existing condition is something that you suffered from before the accident. For example, the insurer could be looking to see if you have had back and neck problems before your automobile accident. That way they can argue that the back and neck pain you experienced as a result of the accident was in fact already there – even if that’s not true.

Basically the whole point of asking you for a medical release form is for the insurance company to find a way to get out of paying your medical expenses. Why else would they want access to your entire medical history? To maintain control of your personal records, you could submit copies of the relevant records yourself. However, the best thing is for you to speak with your attorney about the medical release form request and get their expert legal advice.

You are entitled to collect your own records and provide copies to the insurance company. This allows you to select the appropriate records and keep your privacy rights intact.

Make Sure You're Informed

If you would like to speak with a skilled Houston car accident attorney to get more information, then contact the law offices of Vujasinovic & Beckcom for a free review and consultation of your case. You should also order one of our many free books available on our website.

Vujasinovic & Beckcom P.L.L.C

1001 Texas Avenue, Suite 1020

Houston, TX 77002

Phone: 713.224.7800

Fax: 713.224.7801