Car accidents can be devastating for all parties involved, as many collisions can lead to victims sustaining mild to severe physical injuries. Therefore, if you have been involved in a car accident, it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. If you believe you have serious injuries as a result of your accident, you should go to the emergency room as soon as possible. Not receiving sufficient medical care soon after an accident can prolong the pain, worsen the injuries you may have sustained and, in severe cases, even lead to death. Car accident injuries range from mild cuts to life-threatening injuries. For this reason, seeking medical care after being involved in a car accident is crucial.
If you have sustained injuries after a car accident, you may be entitled to seek compensation. Receiving medical treatment after your accident can even strengthen your compensation claim as medical bills can be used as evidence of the injuries that you have sustained. In order to obtain the best compensation possible for your personal injury case, we highly recommend seeking legal representation. Our team of personal injury lawyers at The Law Place has over 75 years of combined experience across multiple practice areas, including personal injury law. Therefore, we have the experience necessary to ensure you get the compensation that you deserve.
At The Law Place, we keep our phone lines open 24 hours a day every day. So, call us whenever you want at (941) 444-4444 to schedule your free consultation with a top attorney at our law firm.
A patient visits his doctor after a car crash.
Common Car Accident Injuries Sustained After a Car Accident
Unfortunately, sustaining injuries after a car crash is common. These injuries can vary depending on various factors, including the number of vehicles involved in the collision, the speed at which the vehicles were driving, and whether or not the driver was driving under the influence. Injuries that can be sustained after a car accident include:
- Whiplash.
- Cuts, bruises, and burns.
- Head injuries, including traumatic brain injury (TBI).
- Back injuries and neck injuries.
- Broken bones and fractures.
- Paralysis.
- Spinal cord injuries.
- Internal bleeding.
- Limb loss.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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What Type of Doctor Should I See for My Injuries?
Knowing where to go and which doctor to see after a car accident can sometimes be difficult. Which type of doctor you should see for your injuries greatly depends on their severity.
Emergency Room Doctor
If you have sustained severe injuries as a result of your car accident, you should go to the emergency room immediately. Injuries are considered to be serious or severe if they need urgent medical attention or can cause long-lasting effects on the individual. Examples of severe injuries include severe burns, internal bleeding, and spinal injuries. Emergency room doctors are trained to quickly examine the patient for potential injuries and then immediately treat them in order to stabilize the accident victim.
When examining the patient, an ER doctor may request an x-ray or CT scan in order to review the damage caused by the accident in order to establish a suitable treatment plan quickly. Your emergency room doctor may also administer medication in order to relieve the pain that the patient is experiencing. Overall, their priority is treating immediate symptoms of the injuries sustained. Therefore, the treatment received may not be extensive, and underlying medical conditions or other injuries may go unnoticed. Emergency room doctors are normally able to bill your insurance company directly through PIP insurance, so you may not have to file a claim directly.
Urgent Care
An individual who sustains an injury that is serious but not life-threatening after a car accident should go to urgent care. For example, if you have sustained cuts from your accident that may require stitches or minor broken bones or fractures, you should see an urgent care doctor. Although you will be seen on the day of the accident without an appointment, you may have to wait a long time before being seen by a medical doctor.
Primary Care Physician
If your injuries aren’t deemed too serious, you can make an appointment with your primary care doctor for a medical examination and follow-up care. However, it’s important to note that many primary care doctors refuse to see patients after they’ve been involved in a car accident. This may be because your primary care doctor may be reluctant to testify in court if called to do so by a legal team after giving medical treatment to their patient. Also, most doctors are reluctant to treat car accident injuries as many are not set up to bill your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance.
Specialist Doctor
After a physical examination by a medical professional, they may determine that you need specialized treatment in order to improve your condition. Having the best kind of doctor for your specific injuries is crucial. Without receiving appropriate medical care, injuries tend to worsen over time. Your doctor’s practice will help you find the right doctor who can treat your car accident injury. For example, if you have suffered from a herniated disc, you may need to be seen by an orthopedic doctor. Orthopedic doctors specialize in treating injuries and degenerative diseases of the bones, joints, and nerves. In the case that you need surgery on one or more of your spinal discs, an orthopedic surgeon will carry this out for you.
After examining your physical condition and reviewing your medical history after a car accident, a specialist doctor will send your medical documents that include findings and recommendations to your doctor. If you require surgery under an orthopedic team, then your treating physician must seek authorization from your insurance company before the surgery is approved. After you have recovered from the orthopedic surgery, you will be released from orthopedic care, and your primary care physician will organize a follow-up consultation to discuss your recovery and the condition of the injury with you.
When Should I See a Medical Professional?
Under Florida Statute 627.736, you must seek medical treatment within 14 days of the accident occurring in order to claim compensation from your insurance company. It is crucial to seek medical attention soon after an accident, even if you believe to be unharmed, as many car accident injuries, including internal bleeding, may not be visible to the naked eye.
Some accident victims believe neck pain, back pain, and minor aches will pass with time, however, left untreated, these conditions can worsen significantly and lead to long-term chronic pain. Therefore, seeking medical treatment after an auto accident is crucial. A healthcare provider can also advise a patient if they may require further treatment, including physical therapy in the future, in order to improve their condition.
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Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
If you’re hoping to receive compensation for the injuries you have sustained after a car accident, then hiring professional legal representation is highly recommended. A car accident lawyer can provide accident victims with invaluable legal advice and guide them through the legal process as they file their insurance claim. An attorney at The Law Place will gather crucial evidence, including medical bills that prove you have sustained injuries as a result of your accident.
At our law firm, we understand how devastating a car accident can be. It is often the case that injuries sustained from a car accident affect victims for long periods of time as they can cause long-term pain and lead to a substantial decrease in quality of life. Therefore, we won’t stop fighting until you get the compensation that you are entitled to after sustaining your injuries. At The Law Place, we understand that obtaining compensation may not undo the trauma and physical injuries sustained after the collision. However, it can alleviate some financial burdens and worries you may be experiencing after incurring large hospital bills.
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Contact The Law Place
If you have suffered from an injury after your car accident and received medical attention, contact The Law Place today. It’s important to know which type of doctor to see after an auto accident, as being seen by the correct doctor is crucial in getting the correct treatment for your injuries. An experienced doctor will examine your injuries accurately and determine the necessary treatment while moving forward with your recovery plan.
Hiring an attorney to take on your case greatly increases the likelihood of receiving compensation for your claim. Obtaining compensation after a car accident can help cover the costs of medical bills that were incurred in order to treat the injuries sustained. A personal injury lawyer can also help you claim other economic and non-economic damages, including damaged property, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
At The Law Place, we’re happy to discuss your case in detail with you. Our phone lines are always open, so you can call us whenever you want. Contact us at (941) 444-4444 for a free consultation with a top attorney today.
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