This great question came from a reader of our blog. I will be the first to admit that I know nothing about alternative medicine. I do know that some people swear by it and are vehemently opposed to “traditional” Western medicine. If some herbs or acupuncture can truly help you avoid a back fusion then it’s probably a good thing.
When it comes to injury lawsuits in Illinois we do know that most insurance companies and juries are going to almost always to find the opinion of an orthopedic surgeon or neurologist over someone with a perceived lesser degree.
So if your attorney understands alternative medicine that is all fine and good, but it’s way more important that they understand the type of case you have and can demonstrate a track record of success with those cases. And you should understand that you are greatly jeopardizing your case if you don’t along with alternative medicine, participate in more traditional methods.
That is surely a maddening statement to read if you truly believe in these methods, but the fact of the matter is that an orthopedic surgeon who testifies on behalf of an insurance company is just going to be seen as more credible. It’s great to have beliefs and stick to principles, but if it leads to you receiving no compensation for the six months of work that you miss and no payment of your medical bills, is it really worth it? You might win, but more often than not you’d probably lose.
The best thing you can probably do is to find a traditional doctor who knows an alternative medicine type doctor. Adding that treatment to the normal course of care would likely be seen as reasonable, especially if your doctor recommends it.
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