Massachusetts Personal Injury and Workers' Compensation Law Blog
If you have been involved in an accident and you have a personal injury attorney handling your claim for you, he/she is going to need you to sign a HIPPA form. Of course, you have the right to obtain your medical records from the providers that treated you for your injuries. But, if a third party – such as your personal injury attorney – is going to obtain your medical records and medical bills, he/she must have the requisite authorization to obtain these documents, and that is where the HIPPA form comes into play.
Without your medical records and medical bills that you incurred after your accident, your attorney cannot do much in the way of representing you. Remember, to collect on a personal injury claim, your attorney must show both liability on the part of the person(s) that caused your injuries, and, must show damages, i.e. that you were somehow injured as a result of the accident.
Also, it is wise to always ask your personal injury attorney for a copy of the HIPPA form that you sign, as well as a copy of anything else your attorney has you sign. Keep these papers in a file that is dedicated exclusively to your personal injury claim.