Really, the best advice we can give is for you to just be honest! The point of the medical appointment is to allow a suitably qualified expert to produce a medical report that confirms the nature, extent, and impact of the suffering that has been caused to you as a result of your accident / injuries. It should also confirm how long you will be suffering for as well.
So really there is no right or wrong answer – you just need to advise the above. The expert will judge what’s reasonable; i.e. don’t try and cheat the system by saying your whiplash stopped you from being able to go to work because it was too painful to move! Whilst this can happen in severe cases, you would need medical proof that it was silo bad it stopped you from even being mobile!
The expert will know what to ask you anyway, so you shouldn’t need to worry too much. They will look at your relevant medical history and records, and ask how the injury has affected you in all aspects of your life; socially, domestically, at work, etc. They will also examine you to see if there are any noticeable symptoms that they can write about in their report as well – like your back still being stuff, or limited ranges of movement.
What you must remember is that the experts are independent, so their duty is to the court. So do not try and ‘milk’ it or be disingenuous, as the experts may well be able to tell. Just be honest, and you should get a fantastic report.
It’s worth preparing for the appointment yourself. In the weeks or days leading up to it, write a journal or diary or list of sorts confirming all the ways your injury affected you. It’s better to be prepared rather than getting their and forgetting things or missing things out. Obviously, if you fail to tell the expert something, then it probably won’t go in the report. They’re good; but they’re not psychic!
If anything is missed or needs to be added once you have already received your report, don’t panic! Your lawyers should be able to pose questions to the expert to get points clarified or items added in. But it is better to be prepared and have it ready for when you get there.
