When you’ve been injured in a car accident, the last thing you want to worry about is how to pay for the things you need. You might expect your injuries will get covered by insurance, but you could make mistakes that affect that coverage. When it comes to seeking treatment for car accident injuries, you need proper documentation of your injuries to help prove your case so you can get the fair compensation you deserve. Visiting a car accident doctor near you helps ensure you get the quality treatment and care you need while also working with professionals who understand how to help you through this tricky process. Continue on to learn more about mistakes you can make on accident or on purpose that can impact your health and financial peace after a car accident.
Top Seven Mistakes Victims Make after a Car Accident
Here are the top 7 mistakes that car accident victims make after a car wreck and how this can impact you.
Declining Medical Attention at the Scene
The scene of a car accident can get incredibly stressful, especially if police, the fire department, and an ambulance all show up. You should never decline medical attention at the scene of an accident. These paramedics and first responders have the skills necessary to assess you for injuries you may not even realize you have. Due to shock and stress, you might not even realize you are bleeding until someone else points it out. That’s why you want to get checked out by first responders and professionals who know what to look for at the scene of a car accident. If you decline medical attention at the scene and say you are okay, you risk difficulty proving any injuries are related to the car accident later.
Failing to See a Car Accident Doctor Immediately
It’s important to see a car accident doctor immediately after an accident, even if you don’t have any symptoms at the time. Getting into a car accident can cause your body to flood with adrenaline, which helps you through a traumatic event but can also mask pain and symptoms of an injury. You might not even experience symptoms for hours or even days after the accident, which is why some car accident injuries are known as hidden injuries with delayed symptoms. Getting prompt medical care ensures you get any injuries identified and diagnosed as soon as possible. This helps your physical and mental health so you can get started on treatment that will reduce your symptoms and help you heal faster. This also helps connect your symptoms and injuries to the car accident that just occurred.
Not Disclosing All Your Medical History to Your Doctor
While it might seem strange at first, your medical history is actually a very important aspect of your car accident doctor’s ability to successfully diagnose your car accident injuries. Previous injuries or illnesses can impact the way your body responds to a car accident, or you may be more susceptible to certain issues or complications. Additionally, your medical history helps your doctor determine the most accurate diagnosis and any necessary medications that will not affect any ongoing medications or current therapies you might have for certain health conditions. If you aren’t fully honest with your car accident doctor about your medical history, you could hurt your legal case and negatively impact any compensation for your medical treatment. Always be honest with your doctor about how the accident occurred, what damage you noticed, and what symptoms you experienced so they can determine the best therapeutic course for you.
Downplaying Your Pain and Symptoms
When asked how you are feeling, you might be tempted to respond with “I’m fine!” or “It doesn’t hurt that bad!” to be polite. However, you should push through the temptation to act like everything is fine or any attempts to avoid being a burden. If you downplay your pain or other symptoms, you risk not getting an accurate diagnosis or the treatment you need for your injuries. You want your pain and other symptoms documented as accurately as possible for your medical records. For an insurance claim or legal recourse, your medical records will paint a picture of how your body was impacted by the car accident. The more thorough and detailed, the better insurance companies and lawyers will be able to get you the compensation you deserve. You can try writing down your symptoms you noticed immediately after the accident and sharing that with your doctor at your appointment. Always let your doctor know when new symptoms arise or if you experience a sudden change, like an increase in pain.
Failing to Follow Through on Treatment Plan
In order to demonstrate that you take your car accident injuries seriously, you need to follow through on your prescribed treatment plan. Car accident doctors provide you with a personalized treatment plan that addresses your specific symptoms and how the injury has impacted you. Following through on your treatment plan demonstrates your commitment to the healing and recovery process. It also demonstrates that your injuries are indeed real and require this level of treatment and care. You should never stop any medical treatment too soon or leave any gaps in your treatment. This can make it appear as if you healed from a car accident injury and suffered an unrelated injury that you are trying to get compensated for with a car accident claim. It is important to seek treatment until you have fully healed and received the all-clear from your car accident doctor.
Trying to Push through the Pain and Keep Working
Always talk to your car accident doctor if your car accident injuries affect your ability to go to work and do your job. If you fail to inform your doctor when your injuries impact your work, they won’t know to document this in your medical records. Let your doctor know about all the ways your car accident injury impacts you, from sleep issues to concerns about mobility. Keep track of your symptoms, especially in the weeks after the car accident occurred, and make note of any days where your injuries may have impacted your ability to do your job. Insurance companies and the courts will want to see documentation in your medical records if your job has been impacted by your injuries. You should also avoid pushing the pain just so you can get back to work. Talk to your car accident doctor about your options if you are pressured to return to work before you are recovered and able to do so.
Not Keeping a Personal Medical File
You should always keep a personal medical file with all the paperwork you receive about the car accident and associated health care. You can request paper or electronic copies of bills or statements to demonstrate the monetary value of your medical treatment necessary for you to recover from car accident injuries. A personal medical file should include a list of every procedure you have had for your car accident injuries. This is also where you can keep track of all the details related to seeing a car accident doctor. Write down when you went to each appointment, doctor’s orders, treatments, recommendations, referrals, and any work restrictions. It helps to have your own copy of all this information in a personal medical file so you can access this and share it with your attorney if necessary. If anything in your medical history was impacted by the car accident injury, then you may want to include related documentation to this as well.
The Importance of Seeing a Car Accident Doctor
When you get injured in a car accident, you might receive initial emergency treatment at an emergency room or urgent care. However, you will require follow-up treatment and care for any injuries. Emergency and urgent care centers are designed to make sure you are stable and address any serious or life-threatening injuries. For quality follow-up treatment, they will typically refer you elsewhere for treatment for your injuries. That’s why you want to see a car accident doctor even if you have already been to the ER or an urgent care near you. Bring any medical records, including diagnosis of injuries or diagnostic results like X-ray or CT scans. Your car accident doctor will want to verify your diagnosis and develop a treatment plan that addresses all your symptoms and helps you recover swiftly. Car accident doctors understand the importance of providing you with an accurate diagnosis, a thorough treatment plan, and detailed medical records.
Accurate Diagnosis & Treatment Plan
An accurate diagnosis is a key to making sure you recover and heal as best as possible. Your doctor will depend on you to provide a thorough and accurate summary of your medical history to inform the diagnosis. You also need to provide as much detail as possible about how you feel after the car accident, the exact location of pain and other symptoms, and if you have noticed the injury having an impact on your ability to complete regular movements or common tasks. Once your car accident doctor has established the most accurate diagnosis for your injuries, they will add this to your medical record and develop a treatment plan that addresses that specific type of injury. A treatment plan for car accident injuries should take into consideration the severity of your injury and an estimated timeline for recovery and rehabilitation.
Proper Documentation of Injuries
Car accident doctors and their professional teams are dedicated to providing you with proper documentation of your injuries. You want to work with a team of car accident doctors you trust, and part of that is ensuring they have the knowledge and skills to provide you with detailed medical records. Proper documentation of your injuries will help ensure the insurance claims process goes as smoothly as possible, so you get the care you need without having to worry about the cost. When your injuries are properly noted with detail, this helps provide evidence for your injuries and that the symptoms you have been experiencing are directly related to the car accident.
How a Car Accident Doctor Can Help You
In addition to providing you with an accurate diagnosis, individualized treatment plan, and proper documentation, a car accident doctor is here to help while you recover physically and mentally. Depending on the type and severity of your injuries, your car accident doctor may recommend a combination of home remedies to support your treatment and recovery. Your car accident doctor will only prescribe treatments that are necessary for your recovery to avoid the risk of not getting the coverage you need for the services you receive. This means your car accident doctor will tailor-make your treatment plan to your specific symptoms and how the injury has impacted you to avoid any unnecessary treatments or delays to your recovery. They will also work with you to update your treatment plan as needed to support your healing and rehabilitation.
At AICA Orthopedics, our team of car accident doctors includes orthopedic doctors, surgeons, neurologists, chiropractors, and physical therapists. Our doctors work together to provide car accident victims with comprehensive treatment and care for their injuries. You can enjoy the convenience of going to one location to meet with all your doctors and even get any scans or tests needed on-site. Our car accident doctors have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging tools like X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs in the office, so you don’t have to drive all over town to get the care you need. AICA car accident doctors will work with you from your initial appointment through your recovery process to ensure you experience lasting pain relief and fully heal from your injuries.
Visit an AICA Orthopedics location near you to get started with a team of car accident doctors who have the knowledge and expertise to provide you with the care you need. They will help you navigate the recovery process and help you avoid easy mistakes after a car accident.