Immediately! Yes, you read it right – it’s important to visit a doctor right after the accident.
A car accident can do damage to your physical and psychological health. After getting into a car accident, the first thing you should do is to visit a doctor. Seeking medical attention right after a car injury holds paramount importance for your health and the protection of your compensation rights.
You might take months to recover from your injuries. Meanwhile, your doctor will keep a detailed note of your injuries, medicines, treatments, and recovery, all of which will help in settling your insurance claim.
Why should I visit a doctor immediately after a car accident?
The damage from a car accident can range from minor injuries like bruises to broken bones and paralysis. Sometimes, due to the sudden traumatic impact, you might not be aware of the extent of your injuries. A medical practitioner will examine you thoroughly and point out the exact impact of the damage.
Insurance companies require victims to visit car accident doctors for assessment of the injuries. Policyholders have a stipulated period in which they must report to a car accident doctor to receive Personal Injury Protection(PIP). This limited-time period is known as the Statute of Limitation and varies in different states. The doctor will thoroughly examine the patient, and make a report about his health and injury condition.
Victims might overlook the importance of visiting a doctor after the accident. They think that the services of a doctor are not needed or other concerns take precedence. In such a scenario they might lose access to claim for compensation.
While you might hire a claim adjuster to look into the matter of your compensation, the compensation claim depends on facts fed into your report. This medical report is prepared by the car accident doctor who tends to you after the accident. The accuracy and precision of his recorded facts can prove vital in getting your insurance compensation.
When to see a doctor after an accident: The timeframe
A crucial factor that determines the odds of recovering your compensation is the timeframe in which you sought medical attention after an accident. For most insurance purposes, 72 hours is a reasonable time. To put it simply, you have a period of 72 hours to visit a doctor after an accident for claiming compensation.
If the extent of your injuries is high, you must visit a doctor immediately.
Here is a list of some common injuries related to a car accident:
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Soft tissue injuries
- Whiplash
- Back and neck injuries
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) symptoms include:
- A concussion
- Amnesia
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Balance issues
- Ringing in the ears
- Nausea
- A short period of unconsciousness
Discuss the above symptoms with your doctor. In case you have not mentioned these issues or they appeared late after the doctor’s visit, visit the doctor once again and report these issues.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries like pain in the muscles, tendons, ligaments could appear slowly. They can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. If not treated in time, they can cause mobility issues.
A soft tissue injury can be easily missed out in an x-ray. Besides, they might appear after some time lapsed after the doctor has examined you for initial injuries. If you experience any discomfort with the soft tissues, set up a doctor’s appointment to report these injuries. If left untreated, they can cause long-term lingering pain in the body.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a common injury encountered in a car accident. In this injury, the neck is forced forward and then suddenly snapped back to its original position. This could leave the neck strained and cause problems like back and neck pain, spine problems, or tinnitus. An X-ray can determine the extent of the damage caused.
Back and Neck Injuries
Back and neck injuries are the most common injuries after a car accident. You could experience discomforts like sprains, fractures, and even disc injuries. Just after the accident, you might feel some soreness in the body. Do not ignore the symptoms as they could indicate serious underlying injuries. If you are rushed to an ER, the medical professionals will perform a series of tests on you. X-rays and correct physical diagnosis will reveal the extent of the damage caused and you can seek treatment accordingly. Let’s face it, lower back pain and neck pain are lingering issues that trouble many Americans all their life.
Car accident Injuries that appear late
As mentioned above, some of the car accident injuries are not felt right after the accident. Medical conditions like Whiplash, soft tissue injuries and TBI might take a while to appear. Report them to your car accident doctor as soon as you experience discomfort.
Which doctor should I visit after the car accident?
Usually, your Primary care physician does not treat a car accident injury. After a traumatic accident, you might wonder what to do next. Seeking immediate medical help is the best course of action.
There are specialized doctors trained to treat car accident injuries. You will be rushed to an emergency service. Your car accident doctor is trained to assess your injuries and provide a medical recovery plan.
Specialist
A car accident specialist medical doctor is competent to handle pain management cases. Our database includes an extensive line of doctors. They are trained to handle victims of car accidents who suffer from skull, nerves, ligaments, bone, and spinal injuries. They will conduct a physical examination, in addition to multiple tests and x-rays.
Our medical database covers all kinds of doctors. In case you suffer minor injuries, the car accident doctor will attend your external bruises. If the impact of the car accident is severe, the health service provider will provide primary aid and refer to a specialist like a Joint pain consultant or a Musculoskeletal Injury Pain Specialist, as the case might be.
Documentation
Neck and back injuries can sometimes last a lifetime. They might restrict your movement temporarily or leave a long-term impact. The emergency treatment that you receive right after the accident might prove critical in averting a permanent disability.
After a physical examination, the doctor will note down all the details regarding the injury. He will also make a note of your emotional health. What are you going through? Any psychological impact, and so on.
This detailed document is the key to recovering maximum compensation from the insurance company. Insurance companies can be very hard-pressed and might not agree with the circumstances following the car accident. In such cases, a record maintained by your doctor outlining the events and the medical condition of the victim holds utmost importance.
In the event your case goes to court, this medical record will serve as a piece of primary evidence. Your attorney can present your case based on the facts given in the medical records. The details given in the car accident doctor’s report will play a major role in determining the decision of the judges/jury.
Final Thoughts
The trauma of an accident and the hefty medical bills that follow can leave a person completely shattered. External injuries will heal, but the psychological suffering is unimaginable.
Receiving insurance compensation will seem like a breath of fresh air to victims who have suffered heavy financial losses due to the accident. They can clear the hospital bills, settle other expenses incurred due to the accident, and take better care of their health.
As car insurance companies rely on facts, your car accident doctor has a major role to play. Besides providing timely medical aid, he will guide you in maintaining an updated record of a car injury case.
In the event of a car accident, visit a car accident doctor from our database immediately to receive urgent medical attention and maximum compensation claim.