If you have been injured, whether that is in a motor-vehicle or a slip-and-fall accident, you must seek prompt medical attention. Your first stop may be to a clinic or in severe cases, a hospital. However, most people who are not seriously injured at the scene of their accident will first go to see their general practitioner. As mentioned in BC Car Law’s last blog “What Type of Doctor Should I See: General Practitioners vs Specialists,” regardless of the severity of your accident, you should see a medical professional right away. Once you have received your initial diagnosis, if you are suffering from an accident-related injury, you may be entitled to receive compensation for the cost of the medical treatments that you receive before your claim with ICBC is settled.

You will choose which doctors treat you. However, your choice of doctor, especially when choosing between traditional and alternative medicine providers, may affect the amount you recover from ICBC.

The bottom line is that unless scientific evidence proves that an alternative treatment plan has concrete benefits for the type of injury you have suffered, ICBC will probably not cover the cost of such alternative treatments.

Be prepared to prove that the alternative treatment of your choosing is actually improving your health. One way you can do this is by getting a medical report documenting the gradual improvements in your health. Also, regularly going to your GP to have him or her document your health status as well as the other medical treatments you are receiving is a good idea.

If you are concerned about being able to cover the cost of your medical treatments and are unsure about whether your ICBC compensation will cover your alternative medical treatments, you should seek legal advice.

Mike Coric is a personal injury lawyer who has represented victims of motor vehicle accidents throughout British Columbia for over 15 years. Mike has appeared at every level of Court in British Columbia and conducted trials before a judge and a jury. He acts only for plaintiffs and restricts his practice to BC car accidents and other personal injury circumstances. If you or someone you know has been injured and would like to speak with a lawyer, please call Mike at 604-736-3333.

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