ICU Information Network

Posts Tagged ‘radiology’

Hospital and Radiology Canvass:

When reporting accidents it is common that people conveniently “forget” past injuries or ongoing pain that they have been experiencing over the years.  Many may not be conscious of past injuries or don’t believe that prior injuries will have an affect on the present condition of a specific injury.  Some have been awaiting their recent “slip/fall” so that they have an opportunity to have a recurring problem fixed.  It is important to know whether or not the claimant has ever been treated in medical facilities for any type of injuries.  This way, you may determine whether the injuries sustained from this most “recent” accident are the responsibility of your company.

In order to fight these types of claims, ICU Investigations has developed an investigation known as the Hospital or Radiology Canvass.   A hospital canvass will retain dates of service for undisclosed medical treatment, in patient, out patient or emergency room admissions for a 50 mile radius of the person’s home.  A radiology canvass will verify dates of service for any undisclosed X-rays, MRI or CT scans for facilities not affiliated with hospital visits.  After the dates of services are verified, the adjuster will then use that information to formulate their next step in the settlement process.  When dates of service are verified, the medical records can then be subpoenaed by an attorney.  After you receive the medical records for the claimant, you may find that the injury they are reporting may have occurred years ago for the first time.  This investigation could possibly save your company and/or client thousands of dollars.  These services can be ordered separately or be ordered together for a combination service.

It is important to remember that not all cases will merit these types of investigations.  There are some general warning signs that can help determine if this type of investigation is right for you.  Some of these signs may include:  accidents with no witnesses, changing of stories, sketchy details, missed medical appointments, financial hardships, and disgruntled employees.  Perhaps one of the most prominent signs of a fraudulent claim is a Monday morning claim, or first day of the week claim.   The Monday morning claim may have actually occurred over the weekend.   If you are suspicious of a claim, contact ICU Investigations and we will put forth our best effort to find you the answers that you need.