When an individual has been involved in an automobile
accident, going to see a doctor should be a priority. A doctor will help prove
there’s been an injury as a result of the incident and if those involved delay
their medical visit for too long, they may lose the chance of recovering the
settlement they need and deserve for their injuries.
A personal injury lawyer needs the proper documentation from
a healthcare professional regarding any injuries to proceed with a case. If you
never go see a doctor, not only will you be lacking critical information for
providing a personal injury case, you could be seriously injured and be unaware
of the complications.
Hidden Injuries from a Car Wreck
There are many common symptoms reported by auto accident
victims following a car wreck, including neck and back pain, however, there’s
also been situations where the involved individual experiences absolutely no
symptoms while they may actually have an underlying injury or condition. The
body releases endorphins and adrenaline after a car wreck. These are the body’s
natural pain killers, functioning accordingly to the circumstance. While these
are at work, the individual may not experience pain immediately after the auto
accident, sometimes not developing any symptoms until days, weeks, even months
after the collision. It’s important to seek medical attention as soon as
possible to receive a proper diagnosis and begin the recovery process.
Open wounds and/or bone fractures are visibly clear injuries
resulting from a car wreck, but soft-tissue injuries may not be so easy to
detect immediately. Whiplash, a neck injury caused by a sudden back-and-forth
jerk of the head by an abrupt force, and closed-type head injuries like
concussions, are some of the most common, underlying car wreck injuries. For
those who attend the ER following an accident, patients are often provided with
X-rays and drug prescriptions to manage their symptoms. The truth is, however,
X-rays don’t show soft-tissue injuries and the prescribed medications will only
temporarily relieve the pain from an underlying injury or condition.
Primary Care Doctors and Auto Injuries
Additionally, many primary care doctors do not specialize in
automobile accident injuries, mainly because personal injury cases require a
different billing structure. A wide number of primary care doctors don’t take
medical liens, pip, med pay or third party billing. If you’ve suffered an
automobile accident and are experiencing ongoing symptoms of pain and
discomfort, it’s crucial to seek help from a healthcare professional who
specializes in automobile accident injuries with an interest in complete
rehabilitation.
Early Intervention after Auto Injury
Medical Bill Payment Options
After being involved in a car wreck, it’s essential for the
individual to seek immediate medical attention from a car accident specialist
who can help relieve the individual’s injuries or conditions. It’s also
important for the individual’s personal injury case to begin treatment as soon
as possible to demonstrate to the insurance company that there were injuries
present in the aftermath of the incident. But, if you’ve been injured and you
have financial concerns regarding medical care, there are several medical bill
payment options available to help you find the attention you need for your
health concerns.
Med pay, or medical payments are available under an
individual’s insurance policy. They cover the driver and any passengers who
were injured up to the amount which is specified under the policy. It may not
count against you to use your med pay or medical payments in the event of a car
wreck to pay for your medical care. Medical payments need to be requested under
the individual’s own insurance policy and it may be wise to speak to an agent
regarding the additional cost to add it.
Personal injury protection, otherwise known as PIP, is
similar to med pay, except it is mandatory to have if it’s available in the
individual’s state. Personal injury protection can vary from state to state
regarding what it will specifically pay for, however, it will always cover the
individual’s and passenger’s medical expenses after being involved in an
automobile accident, no matter who was at fault.
A medical lien is simply a document stating the healthcare
professional providing a medical service to the individual will be receiving
payment from the patient or an attorney once the personal injury case has been
resolved.
Third Party Billing is the process in which the doctor bills
the insurance company directly in order to be paid by the insurance company
directly. Although a majority of car accident victims use the term third party
billing, not many doctors bill in this manner.
When an individual has experienced an auto collision, seeing
a doctor should be a priority as it can help during a personal injury case
while the individual receives treatment for their pain and discomfort caused by
the unexpected car wreck. There’s a variety of healthcare professionals who are
willing to help those in need, however, it’s best to seek medical treatment
from a doctor who specializes in automobile accident injuries. If an individual
is injured and there are financial concerns regarding medical expenses, there
are various payment options available to help. An individual’s overall health is
important and many doctors will focus on providing the best relief for your
injuries. Taking the first step towards recovery is crucial and it starts with
seeking medical attention after suffering an injury during an auto accident.
By Dr. Alex Jimenez