PI Guru Gary Lewkovich DC suggests several traps that smart doctors need to avoid when managing a fresh PI case:

1. Advertising free services but charging for PI
2. Wrong billing on E&M codes: Docs often bill for higher codes with insufficient justification.
3. Billing for multiple levels of the spine without justification.
4. "Excessive" charges per visit. [Read this one!]
5. "Excessive" treatment durations.
6. Failure to move to "active" care mode.
7. No documentation for medical necessity.
8. No documentation for disabilities.
9. Failure to offer prognosis at MMI.

Any doctor who successfully answers these questions will always be a successful PI practitioner.

Contact JohnTawlian@shawnsteel.com for a copy of explanation page.

Dustin Becker was enjoying camping one night with the boys at a national park, Monterey County. While driving near the camp site, the driver drove off the road with the jeep cascading down a steep embankment. Dustin was a passenger. His leg was crushed and he was unable to move for 8 hours. Poison oak infected the leg creating a blood infection. His medical bills came to $288,290

Defendant claimed that Becker was comparatively negligent in knowing that the driver was drunk; that 'off-roading' is an assumption of the risk. Plus, they didn't like a chiropractor managing an orthopedic case.

In fact, the remarkable effective Dr. Jo Stroud [Dr. Jo is a well established doctor in Half Moon Bay -- a semi professional surfer and her office is on the beach!] just days after the accident "took over" managing care and brought in a number of experts to help Becker recover as quickly as possible. Under Dr. Jo's guidance, Becker saw leading physicians, an acupuncturist, a psychologist and other specialists.

At the court ordered mediation---the defendant waived their objections and the case was settled for $840,000.

In the hands of a less competent doctor the case would have settled for half as much.

Becker vs. Bowie, mediator Charles Hawkins
We represented Mr. Becker.