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Find a Car Accident Doctor
According to Florida Statute § 627.736, you have 14 days to see a doctor after an accident. If you fail to seek medical treatment for your auto accident injuries, the insurance company may deny your accident claim. An auto accident lawyer can help you recover the benefits you need.
You must visit your doctor as soon as possible even if you believe that you are fine or you do not see any injury. It is advisable to seek urgent care or schedule an appointment for a physical examination after an accident. Some of the injuries caused by car accidents do not show up right away. For instance, whiplash, sprains and strains, fractures, and internal bleeding take time to show up on the body.
Find a Doctor After a Car Accident Injury
Also, be honest while describing your injuries to your doctor. Describe every type of pain or discomfort you are experiencing, the severity of the injury, and how it is impacting your daily life.
Depending on the severity of your injury, you may be referred to a specialist including an orthopedic for further treatment or follow-up care. Make sure to follow the care plan suggested by the doctor religiously. If you want, you can also seek a second opinion from qualified specialists. Do not miss appointments or ignore treatment instructions as it will not only put your health at risk but will also give the wrong impression to insurance companies. Hence, make your health a priority.
Furthermore, keep all of your medical documents safe as evidence in your case. Make copies of these records so that you can present them whenever needed.
Contact Auto Accident Doctor Before the 14-Day Deadline Runs Out
Under Florida’s personal injury protection (PIP) law, you must receive medical care within 14 days of the date of the accident if you want to receive compensation for your medical expenses or other damages. Your PIP benefits can cover you if you receive any of the following necessary care:
- Medical care
- Ambulance transportation
- Surgical services
- X-rays
- Dental care
- Rehabilitative services
Make sure that you receive medical attention from an approved healthcare provider in Florida, such as the following:
- ER technician
- Surgeon or specialist
- Personal physician
- Physical therapist
- Chiropractor
If you seek treatment from an auto accident doctor that is not listed in the Florida statute, you may not meet the qualifications for insurance benefits. Therefore, you should get medical attention from your doctor or staff at an emergency room. You may want to visit multiple medical facilities such as the ER and your personal physician to ensure that you have received proper care.
[vc_column_text][contact][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Note: Even if you think that your injuries are too minor for medical treatment, you may still want to visit your car accident doctor. Some symptoms of injuries may not appear until days or weeks after the accident. A visit to the hospital will confirm whether you need further medical attention.
Emergency Care After a Car Accident
If we talk about waiting times, urgent cares are quicker at treating patients. The waiting time usually takes up to 15 minutes. On the contrary, emergency rooms meet with more traffic causing you to wait longer. Several urgent cares are open at all hours every day of the week enabling you to seek treatment at any time.
Another reason why people shy away from seeking medical help after an accident is because they do not wish to pay the prices associated with treatments. If you think the same, going to urgent care or the emergency room can save you in the future. If you win your injury claim, you may be able to compensate for medical costs with the proofs.
Going to urgent care is less expensive than visiting the emergency room. So, if you have minor injuries, visiting urgent care is wise.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor for a Car Accident Injury Case
If you have been injured in a car accident, it is recommended that you seek medical attention right away. You could have underlying injuries that may not show symptoms for a few days or even weeks that require professional medical treatment.
One of these injuries is whiplash. According to Mayo Clinic, the signs of this type of injury include neck pain, headaches, and tingling in the upper body. You may not think that it is anything to worry about at first, but without the proper treatment, the pain could eventually become debilitating and ultimately impact other areas of your life.
Seeing a doctor after your accident can also create proof of your injuries in your medical record. This evidence may help your personal injury or car accident case.
What to Say to Doctor After Car Accident?
Once you get medical attention, there are five important questions to ask your doctor after a car accident. Not only can the answers to these questions help you with your recovery, but they may also help you build your case.
What Are My Injuries?
Doctors understand what questions to ask someone who is injured to identify any potential underlying conditions. Make sure to respond to your doctor truthfully and share information about any symptoms you are experiencing.
Your doctor may run a series of tests and scans to figure out what your injuries are. Some of these tests may include blood tests, X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, or a physical full-body exam. Once the results of the tests are in, the doctor may be able to give you a full assessment of your injuries, their severity, and the recovery process as a whole.
What Does the Recovery Process Look Like?
Sometimes, injuries are minor and may only require rest and over-the-counter medicine to help with the pain. Alternatively, your injuries may require a variety of treatments and medications. It may also be a good idea to note how long your treatment will last so you can plan your schedule accordingly.
Keep in mind that your age may impact the length of your recovery. For example, a teenager may heal quicker and require less treatment than a patient in their seventies.
Who Else Can Help Me with My Treatment?
An emergency room doctor or geriatric doctor may not be able to give you all of the treatment you need to heal. With that, they may refer to other medical professionals who specialize in treating your injuries. Some of these areas may include:
- Chiropractic
- Physical therapy
- Massage therapy
- Orthopedics
- Oriental medicine
Talk to your doctor to find out any other medical care that may work for treating your injuries.
If you Notice Chronic Pain
If you notice chronic pain, chances are that your muscles or tissues are injured. In severe cases, bones can be broken which becomes difficult to recover from. When noticing common injuries from car accidents, you should see an injury doctor at the earliest. An injury doctor or chiropractor can assess the damage and begin a treatment plan. If you do not respond well to the treatment plan, the doctor will perform additional tests with other doctors like neurologists to enhance the treatment plan.
How Will My Injuries Affect My Lifestyle?
Your injuries could cause you so much pain and discomfort that they may keep you from doing your daily activities. In other instances, putting pressure or strain on the injured area may aggravate it, even if you have felt good for a couple of days. Your physical limitations can be frustrating, and you could suffer from anxiety and depression because you cannot do everything you used to.
Perhaps one of the most problematic areas would be how your injuries affect your job. Your treatment could affect your working hours, or you may be in too much pain to work. If you decide to follow a lawsuit, you could claim lost income to recover all the money you would have made at work had you not suffered your injuries.
Can I Have Copies of My Medical Records?
Obtaining your medical records can be a good way to keep track of your progress and help you and your doctors decide how to go about future treatment.
Also, having these copies can be an asset to building your personal injury case to show that your injuries directly resulted from your accident. If you decide to file a lawsuit, you may be able to claim medical bills. The other party’s insurance company may reimburse you for all of your medical treatment, from appointments to medical devices.
Insurance Payout Limits Under the Florida PIP 14-Day Rule
The Florida 14-day statute outlines the limits of the insurance payout benefit available to you. If you receive treatment within 14 days, you may be eligible for the following PIP coverage:
$2,500 for Non-Emergency Auto Accident Injuries
Under the statute, you are eligible to receive up to $2,500 in benefits for “non-emergency” treatment. Non-emergency treatment typically includes any type of care at a medical facility other than an emergency room, ICU, or surgical center.
Medical Care After Car Accident
If you visit an emergency room, you can receive the maximum amount provided in your insurance plan. Payouts vary depending on your insurance provider and what type of coverage you currently carry. Check with your insurance company to find out what you are eligible to receive.
PIP covers only 80 percent of your medical expenses in the state of Florida. For example, if your medical bills totaled $10,000, your PIP would pay out $8,000. The rest of your expenses may be covered under your health insurance policy.
Economic Benefits or Lost Wages in Auto Accident
If your auto accident caused you to miss work and lose pay, your PIP insurance will provide up to 60 percent of your lost wages.
Florida PIP Death Benefits
There is also a PIP death benefit that covers funeral and burial expenses in addition to emergency medical expenses. The benefit pays next of kin up to $5,000 for funeral expenses. For more legal information call the Fort Myers personal injury lawyer.
Defining Emergency Medical Conditions Under the Florida Statutes
Under Florida Statute § 395.002(8), an emergency medical condition falls under the following guidelines:
- It endangers your health or well-being.
- It seriously impairs one or more bodily functions.
- It causes serious dysfunction of a body part or organ.
Your medical reports will confirm that you received treatment as a result of an emergency medical condition. As long as you received care within 14 days, your doctor can verify that your accident resulted in emergency care.
What to Do If Insurance Company Denies Your Car Accident Claim?
Your insurance company may review your case and decide to deny your claim. As a result, you may have to pay your medical bills out of pocket. Insurance companies deny medical coverage for reasons such as:
- You did not receive medical care within the Florida 14-day statute of limitations.
- Your injuries were not severe enough to be classified as an emergency medical condition.
- Your injuries were not related to the accident, as you claimed.
If this happens to you, an auto accident lawyer in South Florida can help you file a claim against the insurance company to receive your benefits. To ensure you get the benefits you deserve, you may want to consult an attorney to discuss your case and explore your legal options.
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Filing an Auto Accident Claim Against Another Party
If someone else is responsible for an auto accident injury you suffered, you can file a claim against the at-fault party’s insurance company to receive compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, or noneconomic damages. The value of your claim depends on the circumstances of the accident and your total financial losses. Examples of injury cases we handle involving auto accidents in Florida include:
- Car accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bus accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Commercial vehicle accidents
You can file an auto accident injury claim when you sustain injuries from someone else’s negligence or careless actions. An auto accident lawyer can help you build a case, submit a claim, determine the value of your losses, and negotiate a settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company. If the other party’s insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement, we can take your case to court.
Get Help from an Auto Accident Lawyer in South Florida
The Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato offers legal assistance for victims of car accidents and other types of injuries. A Fort Myers auto accident lawyer can review your case and help you file your claim. You do not have to take on the insurance company by yourself. Get legal representation from a personal injury attorney in Fort Lauderdale who genuinely cares about your case.
Call us today at 954-633-8270 and get a free, no-obligation case review.
FAQs:
How to find a doctor after a car accident?
If you meet with severe injuries after an accident, you need to seek instant medical care or go to the emergency room and follow up with your primary care physician or a specialist recommended by the ER doctor. In case if your injuries are not severe or life-threatening, you might need to drive yourself to a doctor later that day or the next day at the earliest.
What kind of doctor should I see after a car accident?
Car accidents can be traumatic. There are over 1.3 million deaths from car accidents in the world every year. These can lead to fatalities and severe injuries. Hence, the patient must see an accident injury doctor to heal as quickly as possible. The car accident can affect in many ways including concussion or long-term brain injuries including cognitive impairment or coma. Some accidents can cause lacerations or fractures on the skull. It can also lead to loss of sensation, herniated discs, or permanent paralysis. Or it can damage the neck or chest causing whiplash, strains, and sprains.
Should you go to urgent care after a car accident?
In case of any life-threatening or severe injury from a car accident, you should first go to an emergency room for treatment. These are meant for emergencies including severe burns, trauma, uncontrollable bleeding, and breathing difficulties. In case of lesser symptoms, you should seek urgent care. Injuries can usually hide under the adrenaline, so visit urgent care even if you don’t feel like it. In case if you have sustained injuries, gather medical proofs for insurance purposes to file a personal injury claim.
How long after an accident can you claim?
You can file a claim based on the state liability limit of your state. Each state has its limitations and time frames for various types of damages. If you go through your auto insurance policy, you will be asked to initiate your claims right away or within 24 hours of the damage. However, the shorter time frame is not a necessity as long as the statute of limitations allows. This is because some injuries are not apparent until days or weeks after an accident occurs.
However, make sure to not wait for long as it will get harder for you to defend it. Insurance companies are a little suspicious of delayed claims and will carry on an investigation to find out whether the damage was done. If they find reasons to doubt your claim, you may be denied coverage. We also help the victims of a car accident in the following cities:
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