Why Some Doctors Intentionally Avoid Getting Involved in Compensation Claims
| Cases may involve additional time (depositions, paperwork, different regulations, and insurance procedures). |
| Uncomfortable taking letters of protection (LOPs) from attorneys. |
| Questions patient's desire to recover. |
| Likelihood that the patient will demand or require complicated medications (narcotics). |
| Concern that the patient may attempt to compromise physician's medical integrity. |
| Frustration about patient's lack of improvement. |
| Conscious or unconscious conflict about wanting improvement, because it could hurt compensation case for the patient. |
| Damage to one's ego if the patient does not improve. |
| Concern about loss of objectivity or reputation in the community. |
| Need to become an advocate and give justification for why patient's case is difficult and the patient is not improving. |
| Concern about being held responsible for failure of patient to receive benefits. |
| Concern that failure of claim will interfere with patient-physician relationship. |
| Concern about being seen as uncaring if notes are not strong enough to support the claim. |
| Concern about receiving low grades from various entities (maintenance of certifications, health maintenance organization panels, Internet evaluation websites). |
| Concern that the patient will start seeing the doctor more or less often because he knows the doctor's records will be used in court. |