Do I have to list physical therapy on my injury intake forms if I have not started it yet?

How to Report Physical Therapy That Has Not Started

An injury intake form is usually intended to provide an accurate snapshot of your medical care as of the date you complete it. Physical therapy that has been prescribed but not started is still relevant because it shows what a medical provider recommended for the accident-related condition.

The important point is to distinguish planned care from completed care. A simple entry might say:

“Physical therapy prescribed on [date]. Treatment has not started. First appointment scheduled for [date], if applicable.”

If you know the physical therapy facility or provider, include that information. If no appointment has been made, say that it is not yet scheduled. Do not guess how many visits you will attend, how long therapy will continue, what it will cost, or whether it will improve your condition.

What If the Form Only Asks About Treatment You Have Received?

If the form asks only for treatment already received, do not list physical therapy as completed care. Instead, use a notes section, future-treatment section, or separate attachment to explain that it was prescribed but remains pending.

If there is no suitable space, you can write “not yet started” next to the physical therapy entry. You may also ask the law firm, insurer, or organization that provided the form where it wants planned treatment reported. The goal is to avoid either leaving out relevant information or creating the impression that treatment occurred when it did not.

Details Worth Including on the Intake Form

Provide information that is known and accurate. Useful details may include:

• The name of the medical provider who prescribed or recommended physical therapy.
• The date of the referral, prescription, or recommendation.
• The body area or condition identified by the provider, using the wording in your records rather than your own diagnosis.
• The physical therapy facility, if one has been selected.
• The date of the first scheduled visit, if an appointment exists.
• A brief, factual explanation if scheduling, authorization, transportation, illness, or another issue has delayed the first visit.

You do not need to predict the course of treatment. Once therapy begins, the treatment records and itemized bills can document the dates of service, services provided, charges, and progress reported to the provider.

Why Accurate Treatment Status Matters in a North Carolina Injury Claim

Medical information helps distinguish treatment already received from care that may occur later. That distinction can affect how records are requested, how medical expenses are organized, and whether the claim file reflects the current course of care.

A physical therapy referral alone is not the same as proof that therapy occurred or that a particular expense was incurred. At the same time, omitting the referral may leave the file incomplete. A clear “prescribed but not started” notation avoids both problems.

Consistency also matters. Intake forms, medical records, appointment information, and later claim communications should accurately describe the same basic treatment history. If your plans change, provide an update rather than changing an earlier answer without explanation.

Keep Each Injured Person’s Information Separate

When both an adult and a child are receiving care after the same accident, each person should generally have a separate treatment history. Do not combine the adult’s physical therapy information with the child’s appointments or records.

For the adult, list the prescribed physical therapy as pending. For the child, list the upcoming medical checkup as a scheduled appointment and identify the provider if known. After each visit occurs, update the appropriate person’s information. Separate files make it easier to match medical records, bills, symptoms, and follow-up care to the correct injured person.

Documents to Save While Treatment Is Pending

Keep copies or clear photographs of documents connected with the proposed therapy and other follow-up care, including:

• The physical therapy prescription, referral, or visit summary containing the recommendation.
• Appointment confirmations and scheduling messages.
• Any written instructions from the referring provider.
• Insurance authorization or denial letters, if any.
• Records and itemized bills once treatment begins.
• Notices showing that an appointment was rescheduled or canceled.
• The child’s appointment confirmation and later visit summary.

Continue documenting treatment accurately as it occurs. Follow the instructions of your medical providers, and do not change medical care solely to affect an injury claim.

How This Applies to the Current Situation

Because physical therapy has been prescribed but has not started, the intake form should identify it as pending rather than completed. If the first session is scheduled, include the date. If it is not scheduled, state that plainly and update the information after an appointment is made or treatment begins.

The child’s upcoming checkup should be reported separately as scheduled follow-up care. After that visit, preserve the visit summary and any resulting instructions, referrals, or bills. This approach gives an accurate picture without claiming that future care has already occurred.