What Kind of Doctor Should I See After a Car Accident

A personal injury attorney can suggest an appropriate doctor for you to see after your car accident. Some doctors are more capable and experienced in examining and treating accident victims. And, many physicians don’t treat victims of car accidents for reasons that are not related to the practice of medicine. 

Often, doctors don’t treat accident victims for financial reasons. They may not be set up to bill specific insurances, and they aren’t about to work for free. Also, most doctors do not want to be involved in the legal process and proceedings which may take time away from their medical practices. Thus, only a limited group of medical doctors are happy to treat automobile accident victims.

Go to the Emergency Room

That said, anyone who is hurt in an auto accident should be treated by emergency personnel or go to the emergency room immediately. However, emergency rooms only evaluate you to determine if you have any immediate medical needs. They will only provide basic medications to help you in the short term, such as nonaddictive pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and muscle relaxants. 

The medications and treatments you are given in the emergency room can be of tremendous benefit. However, motor vehicle accident victims should be made aware that many injuries worsen several hours to several days an accident. They can get progressively worse and even become unbearable over time. After going to the emergency room, you will need to follow up with other medical care at a facility with a doctor on staff who can treat your accident-related injuries.

Various Options for Treatment

Besides following up with a doctor who addresses accident-related injuries, the facility you choose may provide other options for healing. Many clinics also have chiropractors, nurse practitioners, massage therapists, physical therapists, and additional medical personnel on staff to help you.

If your condition or pain persists, most doctors will refer you for an MRI to further evaluate your soft tissue injury and determine more specific treatment needs. If your injuries involve the skeletal or musculoskeletal system, you may want to follow up with an orthopedic doctor or a chiropractor. This is true if you’ve injured your knee, hip, ankle, wrist, neck, or spine.

Broken or splintered bones may need the help of an orthopedic surgeon. If your neck or spinal symptoms persist beyond initial treatment, you may need to have an evaluation from a neurologist, neurosurgeon, or orthopedic spinal surgeon. Or, perhaps you were in an accident and are pregnant. To err on the side of caution, you’ll want to follow up with your prenatal specialist to ensure nothing happened internally that could harm your developing baby.

Follow Up with a Personal Injury Attorney

You are entitled to get the appropriate treatment for your injuries. Your medical providers will need to keep accurate documentation of their assessments and the treatments they provided  as they direct and coordinate your treatment. Your personal injury attorney will use the medical documentation as evidence when pursuing compensation for your harm and damages.