FAQ
We have tried to answer people most frequently asked questions on this page to remove some of the confusion you may be experiencing if you have been involved in a car accident. Many people have no idea of who to see or what to do after a accident. Educate yourself and don’t become a statistic. These questions and answers involve Finding doctors after accidents, Attorneys, Insurance companies and what you should do after an accident.
Should I go to the doctor after an accident or wait
Absolutely go see a doctor and do not wait to do it. There are many reasons for you to go see a doctor after an accident, and only a few as to why you should wait. Waiting may hurt your personal injury case, if you have one. It can also hurt you, the injured party later down the road. You may have delayed symptoms of a more major underlying issue. You should never wait to see the doctor after a car accident.
Why you should not wait to see a doctor
Waiting to seek medical care from a doctor after you have been injured in a car accident can have devastating effects on a personal injury case. One thing the insurance company will look at is how quickly did you receive or seek medical attention after your car accident, a day, a week, a month? Minor accidents can cause underlying injuries that may not be detected right away.
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?
You go see a specialist, they tend to be the best at what they do. An auto 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.
What is the time frame to see a doctor after a car wreck?
We generally recommend seeking treatment within 72 hours after any serious car accident. Of course, PIP coverage gives all passengers access to medical care after any car accident, but you must receive treatment within the time determined by your State. You can always call one of our doctors to see if you qualify for PIP coverage or check online.
In addition, delayed treatment may lead to additional injuries and could damage your personal injury claim. Your body is in a weakened state after any serious collision, which leaves you vulnerable to worsening pain and injuries. Make sure that your physician understands the documentation required for complicated personal injury cases and accepts third party billing.
Why 72 hours?
Insurance companies use advanced computer software models to calculate injury claims. In these models, 72 hours is commonly seen as a reasonable amount of time to seek medical treatment if you are hurt. Moreover, the insurance company is incentivized to limit your injury claim. They will look at delays and gaps in treatment as signs that you are not truly injured, which could damage your claim.
Additionally, many injuries are considered Soft Tissue Injuries. And while soft tissue damage sounds harmless, many STIs can lead to permanent damage and pain if left untreated. Furthermore, STIs may take days or even weeks to feel and are nearly undetectable with X-Rays, MRI or other imaging. Don’t delay treatment if you have been injured in a car, bus or slip and fall accident. Early detection is one of the keys to a speedy recovery.
Who is an accident doctor?
A medical doctor, chiropractor, pain management, orthopedic, neurologist, or physical therapist. 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
Table of contents
- FAQ
- Should I go to the doctor after an accident or wait
- What if i don’t have money for a doctor
- Is it ok to go see my chiropractor after my accident?
- Can I use my health insurance for car accident treatment?
- How long will i be sore?
- Billing
- What should I do after an accident?
- Insurance Companies
- What is the statute of limitations?
- What is Whiplash?
- What is documentation of injury?
- Why do i get calls from attorneys and doctors after my car accident
- Find a doctor near you that treats auto accidents
Ask the Doctor
What if i don’t have money for a doctor
Not all Doctors welcome personal injury patients for several reasons. For one, many family physicians want their money up front. For example, many Urgent Care Clinics will only accept health care or cash for payment, like your Family PCP. Make sure to ask the Doctor if they accept third party billing for car accidents before seeking treatment.
In states that offer PIP or No-Fault coverage, you should not pay out of pocket for medical care following an auto accident. PIP insurance allows the doctor to bill the insurance company directly, without the need for an attorney. However, if your injuries require more treatment than PIP will cover, then you may need to hire an Attorney. Talk to your Doctor about the pros and cons of using an attorney.
Is it ok to go see my chiropractor after my accident?
The insurance company uses a software model that recognizes a chiropractor as a qualified physician. A chiropractor is a doctor with a specialized focus on more natural, noninvasive medical care. Chiropractors can do more than just crack your neck and back. A good Chiropractor will provide a medical exam like your Family PCP; however, they cannot prescribe certain medications.
If you have suffered soft tissue injuries, your chiropractor is your go to. A chiropractor is trained to treat soft tissue injuries. A primary care doctor may give you some painkillers and muscle relaxers and send you home with a follow up two weeks later. You want to make sure you are free from pain and healthy following an auto accident. If you chose to do nothing about your auto injuries, it’s possible those injuries could be with you for quite some time.
Research shows that you can suffer injuries even if you have minor or no physical damage done to your car. A chiropractor can treat soft tissue injuries perhaps better than any other doctor.
Issues a chiropractor can address
Reduction of pain
When a minor or major accident occurs it’s possible that your joints, muscle and tendons could become inflamed, if left untreated this could become scar tissue leading to future health issues. Whiplash is the most common of these injuries. A chiropractor can treat and resolve much of your pain with these types of conditions
Preventing Further Damage
Receiving chiropractic therapy can reduce further damage by strengthening and stabilizing your spine and neck. You could be very vulnerable to another injury at work or around your home because of your muscle weakness in your neck and back
Restoring Mobility
It’s very common to be sore after an auto accident. You may not be able to move as well as you did before the auto accident. A chiropractor can help you restore mobility to your body and get you active again after your car wreck.
Can I use my health insurance for car accident treatment?
Third party billing for car accidents does not include health insurance. Moreover, the insurance company will likely deny your claim, leaving you owing the medical bills. Third party billing includes letters of protection from an attorney, PIP, NO Fault, Med Pay and other standard automobile insurance plans. It is always a good idea to ask your Injury Doctor if they accept third party billing before receiving treatment. This will ensure that you do not get stuck paying out of pocket for treatment.
How long will i be sore?
How long you will be sore after a car accident depends on what type of injury you sustained. You could be sore for a few days, weeks, or months.
Billing
What is Med Pay?
Med Pay or medical payments should not be confused with Pip. 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. 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 attorney’s 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 the Police report or Accident report
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. Don’t loose this, you’ll need it to obtain a copy of your accident report.
Never just exchange information with the other person at the scene of the accident
If you just exchange information at the scene, you may be in a world of hurt. The insurance company could just deny the claim. Furthermore, the person who hit you could lie. Make sure to call the police.
Insurance Companies
Should I talk to the insurance company?
I guess this depends on who you ask. If you were at fault, yes. Let’s say 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.
Do i have to take my car to insurance companies body shop?
No you do not. You can take your car anywhere you want. However, the insurance company does make it easier on you if you take it to one of their preferred body shops. More info on this.
What is the statute of limitations?
This is the time limit for which a lawsuit can be filed for compensation. Either for your injuries, or your property damage. The time frame various from state to state as well as property damage to personal injury time frames.
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. It’s 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
Why do i get calls from attorneys and doctors after my car accident
It is illegal for a doctor or an attorney to call you after a car accident in most states. We call it illegal running in the doctor industry. Doctors and attorneys will hire an individual to solicit their services to you. They get your number by bribing or paying people related to your accident in most cases. Such as the police, accident report clerks, tow truck drivers, emergency rooms.
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. However, 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