To recovery full and fair compensation in personal injury insurance claim, it's important to tell your doctor about any parts of your body you can't move like you did before the accident. This is called limited or decreased range of motion ("ROM"), and it often occurs when that area of your body has been injured.
Insurance adjusters review your medical records for any mention of decreased range of motion. If it's noted in the report, they'll usually increase your pain and suffering award. Judges and juries also tend to award more money if you've suffered decreased range of motion. We like to present this evidence to them, but it needs to be in the medical report in order for us to do so effectively. So, it's very important to tell your doctor if you can't move a part of your body like you could before the accident.
In addition to maximizing your monetary compensation, telling your doctor about decreased range of motion will help you get the right medical care. Your doctor will probably order physical therapy exercises, which are designed to increase your range of motion while decreasing your pain, swelling and stiffness.
Be sure to tell your doctor and physical therapis at each visit about any decreased range of motion you're experiencing. This will help you get the right medical care and put more money in your pocket for your pain and suffering.