An interesting lawsuit was filed in Florida federal court this summer. The State Farm insurance company sued Gary Kompothecras, the founder of 1-800-ASK-GARY, an accident-referral service. State Farm alleges that the service commits no-fault insurance fraud by referring people injured in a car accident to medical clinics owned by Kompothecras himself. State Farm is seeking a judgment that it does not have to pay the approximately $9 million in no-fault claims relating to medical services provided by the clinics to the patients referred by 1-800-ASK-GARY. The medical clinics claim the lawsuit is frivolous and an attempt by the large insurance company to avoid paying outstanding claims.
The choice of physician is always an important decision, regardless of how you were injured or became sick. The competency of your doctor and medical staff is crucial to your prospects for recovery. In a car accident situation, your doctor is also important, because the doctor may be called to testify and demonstrate how your injuries are serious and that they were caused by the accident. Insurance companies, in evaluating bodily injury claims, look at the reputation of your physician and are skeptical of no-fault clinics with multiple medical providers, especially when you were referred to one by someone you didn’t know.
There are many types of medical treatment centers that are adept at treating car accident victims and have physicians, chiropractors and physical therapists. It is important to look for the following in choosing a doctor to treat you following a car accident:
The doctor you treat with is important when you have been injured in a car accident. It is also important to consult with a qualified St. Petersburg car accident attorney.
