Why do I need to see a doctor who deals in Auto Accidents?
When you have been in an accident, and are injured. Who do you go to? Do you go to your primary care physician, or do you do to an accident doctor. Someone who specializes in auto accidents. They know how to treat people with accident related injuries. There is nothing wrong with going to a primary care physician. Accidents are a different kind of injury. When you break a bone in your body , who do you go see?
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You go see a specialist, they tend to be the best at what they do. An accident doctor is a doctor that specializes in auto type injuries. Auto injuries generally tend to be what is called “soft tissue” injuries. That means nothing is broken, but you are still in pain. This pain is caused by torn muscles and ligaments. Documentation of these injuries is very important for you, and your lawyer.
Who is an accident doctor?
A medical doctor, chiropractor, pain management, orthopedic, neurologist, or physical therapist. More information can be found here. These doctors are trained or treat personal type injuries. There billing structure is set up in a way that is different from your average primary case physician.
These doctors may bill
- The auto insurance company
- Third party
- Pip or personal injury protection
- no fault
- Med Pay
- Attorney’s Lien
- Medical Lien
What is Med Pay?
Med Pay or medical payments should not be confused with Pip. Medical payments cover your medical cost. In the event of an auto accident, medical payments cover your medical cost. Med pay is very important if you don’t have health insurance or the means to pay for the care out of pocket. Med pay coverage covers you and anyone in your car. It does not matter if the accident was your fault or not, you are still covered for medical cost. More med pay information can be found here
What is Pip and No fault Auto Insurance?
Pip stands for personal injury protection. Pip is mandatory in some states. A listing can be found here. Pip covers medical cost, and in some cases lost wages, etc. Pip coverage usually ranges from 1500.00-250,000.00.PIP can cover the medical and funeral expenses of the insured. It can cover others in the vehicle at the time of the loss. It also can cover pedestrians struck by the covered vehicle. Pip and no fault laws vary by state. Please check the law in your state.
Pip and no fault will cover your medical expenses no matter who was at-fault for the accident. This means you can go get medical care for your injury without having to worry about who is going to pay the bill. If the accident was your fault and you live in a Pip or a no fault state, go see the accident doctor immediately.
What is an attorneys lien?
An attorney’s lien is a document for which and attorney and a doctor come to an agreement. The doctor agrees to hold the bill until the case settles. When your personal injury case settles, the doctor will get paid at that time. In many cases, the doctor agrees to take a lesser amount than he has billed for your medical care.
What is a medical lien?
A medical lien is an agreement between the patient and the doctor. The patient agrees to pay the doctor out of the proceeds when his or hers case settles. Many doctors don’t like this because there is no element of protection for them getting paid.
What is an Accident Lawyer?
Accident Lawyers are very similar to specialist. They handle nothing but auto and truck accidents, which makes them good at what they do, if not the best. Not all Attorneys are created equal though. Some attorneys only want your case for the money. Nothing wrong with making money, but they need to do the best job they can do. Lawyers don’t need to just settle and move on to the next case, they need to work your case to the fullest. if you ever need a great attorney to help you with your car accident, just ask the doctor. Our accident doctors work with the best attorneys in your area.
How can an attorney help me?
Personal injury attorneys help you by making sure the insurance company pays you for your injury, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc. And, can argue on your behalf and help you achieve the best outcome for your situation. That’s not saying you need an attorney for every accident. However, it never hurts to take advantage of a free consultation.
What should I do after an accident?
Call emergency services if there are serious injuries
Call 911 if there are serious injuries. Sometimes injuries may not look serious, but head injuries and internal injuries need medical attention ASAP.
Check on everyone to make sure they are not hurt
Make sure everyone involved in the car accidents if ok. It does not hurt to be a good Samaritan.
Call the police
Always call the police. I can’t tell you the number of cases for which people decided to swap information and leave the scene. You need to call the police to obtain an accident report. In some cases, no accident report equals no personal injury case. The other party could deny even ever having an accident.
Talk to witness’s
Talk to witness’s and gather there info if possible. You may need this information in the future if there is any dispute in liability. The other party could say the accident was your fault and if you have no witness’s to backup your claim, the insurance company may deny your property damage claim and your bodily injury claim.
Take pictures
It’s always good to have a visual reference for the accident. Everyone has a cell phone these days and its always good to take as many pictures as you deem necessary. You can never take too many pictures.
Get an accident case number or police report number
Usually after the police speak with everyone involved, they will give you a case number. It may be in the form of a business’ card with the number written on the back. Dont loose this, you’ll need it to obtain a copy of your accident report.
Find a doctor near you that treats auto accidents
Find a doctor through our find a doctor search that treats accident injuries. Remember, you may not feel any pain the day of the crash, but may feel pain in the following days or weeks. Go get checked out by a doctor that handles these types of claims.
Get an accident case number. If you are seriously injured, call 911. If you have minor injuries, still go to the E.R. If you feel fine, then use your best judgment. Many accident victims will start hurting after the accident. Many things can cause this. Adrenaline is one of them. If you are in pain a few days after the accident, you need to see the doctor. Click here to find a doctor in your area
Should I talk to the insurance company?
I guess this depends on who you ask. If you were at fault, yes. If you were not at fault, then usually no. Do not give the insurance company a recorded statement if the accident was not your fault. If they are persistent, hang up the phone and call an attorney.
Should i give a recorded statement?
You should not give any recorded statement to the at fault party’s insurance company. You may want to consult an attorney before giving any statement. In some cases, they will use this against you in the future.
Things they may ask in a recorded statement
- Are you hurt
- How the accident occurred
- Do you have any previous accidents
- Do you have an previous or ongoing injuries
It’s possible they may to try and shift blame for the accident on you. Do yourself a favor and don’t give a recorded statement unless you have spoken with an attorney first.
Should i take the check the insurance company gives me
I think that may depend on what the check is for. If the check is for property damage, it will say on the check for property damage only. However, if it says something like for full and final settlement of this claim, don’t cash it or put it in the bank. If you do, you may have just settled your claim for bodily injury.
What is Whiplash?
Whiplash is torn muscles and ligament in the neck and upper back. Whiplash sometimes has a delay onset. This means ,although you are injured, you don’t feel any pain right away. Its important to go see an accident doctor after you have been in an auto accident. If you are not injured its peace of mind, if you are, then the doctor can quickly start treating your injury. This will reduce your healing time. If you wait, you could be in quite a lot of pain, and down time may be increased.
What is documentation of injury?
Documentation of an injury is medical records, doctors notes, X-rays. Without proper documentation of your injury, you might not get the maximum settlement you deserve, if one at all. An accident doctor is a physician that knows how to document and injury. Without proper documentation you might not even have a personal injury case.
The lawyer uses this documentation to prove your injury. Poor or improper documentation may devalue a personal injury case dramatically.See an accident doctor today to get your injury properly documented. Don’t take chances with the welfare of you or your family
I can’t find a doctor listed in my area
Accident doctor is adding doctors everyday. Our mission is to have a doctor listed in your local area close to your home or work. If you can not find a doctor close to you, please contact us immediately. If we don’t have one listed, we will find you one.