After a car accident, your injury needs to be documented. If X-RAYS don’t show anything, you may have need an MRI scan. Your personal injury lawyer may want an MRI to help him prove your injury came from the car accident. In some personal injury cases, an MRI scan is essential for the attorney to prove injury. It also helps provide the evidence needed for a medical settlement.
Car accident injuries can cause a variety of different injuries. Broken bones can be identified easily by taking an X-RAY. However, what happens when you have soft tissue damage or need further evaluation. You may need an MRI. The machine is essentially a large magnet in a tube shaped structure. It utilizes a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to create a detailed cross-sectional image of the car accident victims organs and tissue.
What is an MRI machine?
When people go to get an MRI they may not know what they are in for. If you are claustrophobic, make sure you make the doctors aware before you even go. An MRI machine is a long cigar shaped tube that you would lie in. This tube is small and if you have any space issues, you may need to have an open MRI.
How does it work?
The machine creates a magnetic field. As you lie in the tube, the magnetic field surrounds you. This creates pulses of radio waves. These waves will produce signals from your body. These signals are converted to images by a computer. The doctor then has a picture of soft tissue injuries.
How an MRI scan helps a personal injury case
An MRI scan sees things an X-ray or CT-scan cannot. It will see damage to your spine, neck and tissue. And, an MRI scan can show the doctor where the problem area is and the best way to proceed with treatment. You may have pain in your back or neck that is not getting relief from traditional methods.
Your doctor may want to order an MRI scan of the affected area to see what the issues are. MRI scans will create a very detailed image of the focus area. The doctor will be able to review the image and determine the best way to proceed.
An MRI scan can see torn ligaments caused from your car accident and soft tissue injuries.
Whiplash and Spinal cord injuries
We have all heard of whiplash. Whiplash is the whipping motion of the neck after being hit in the rear. Your doctor will have no issues treating your neck and spine after a rear end car accident. However, an MRI would show the real extent of your injuries after a car accident. The point of an MRI scan is to show the doctor and the attorney what is wrong and also provide proof of injury to the at fault insurance company.
How does an MRI work
An MRI machine uses very strong magnets to create a detailed image. The images are transferred to a disk for the Doctor to review.If you are claustrophobic you may need to request an open MRI scan. An open MRI scan is exactly what it says, you are not enclosed in a small space. The magnet is extremely strong, you need to tell your doctor about the following :
- Have any metal in your body
- Your are pregnant
- have any electronic device in your body (pacemaker, insulin pump, etc)
- Artificial joints
- Claustrophobia
The machine uses no radiation to produce the image. However, some are loud, so hearing protection must be worn.
Before you get an MRI
You may be asked to get in your birthday suit and wear a gown. Eat and take all your medications that you normally would take in a given day.
remove things such as:
- Dentures
- Hearing aids
- Eyeglasses
- Harpins
- Watches
- Rings
- Bras( if they contain wire)
- Anything with metal contained in it
The only dangers of a scan are metal, because the magnet is so powerful, any metal in or around you can be tossed about. It’s very important if you have any metal that the doctor knows about it.
How much does an MRI cost
The cost really depends on where you live. There really is not a set price, but you can expect to pay anywhere from 1200.00 to 2500 dollars depending on the machine and the facility. Car accident victims can get their attorney involved and get an MRI on a medical lien or an attorney’s lien, usually with no issues. Your personal injury lawyer can also negotiate the bill if it seems excessive. If you have med pay or PIP, a scan would be covered under that type of insurance as well. The cost is minimal compared to the results it will provide your attorney
Can i get an MRI scan without a Doctor referral
That really depends on the facility. If the doctor won’t order one, there must be a good reason. However, your attorney can get involved and he will be able to get one done. The facility necessarily does not need paperwork from the doctor to order one. They just need someone to pay for it. If you attorney is willing to do a lien, there’s no reason you can not get one with a doctor’s referral. However, if your attorney thinks the MRI will help your personal injury case, he will get it done no matter the cost.
Car accidents & personal injury attorneys
MRI scans are vital to a personal injury case, and your attorney. Furthermore, he needs the documentation from the scan to prove your injury resulted from your car accident. Without it, he may not have much of a personal injury case. If you think you need further evaluation and your doctor is not providing it, speak with your personal injury attorney. He may be able to order one and get the documentation you need to prove your case. If you are injured in a car accident you may need an MRI scan to prove injury,without it, you may not have a case.
We do have a network of MRI Facilities across GA, FL, and Texas. If you need one, please contact us