Treating a Neck Injury after an Auto Accident

If you fear that you sustained a neck injury in an auto accident, especially in Florida, we urge you to seek prompt medical attention. Even mild symptoms could be indicative of serious underlying conditions.

Furthermore, there is a possible financial concern. The law in this state allows 14 days to receive a diagnosis for an emergency medical condition in order to remain eligible to receive benefits under mandatory personal injury protection coverage.

How do you treat a neck injury after an auto accident?

Some common treatments for auto accident-related car injuries include chiropractic care, joint injections, and therapeutic exercise. Depending on your condition, hot or cold therapy, rest, or temporary, site-specific immobilization could also be recommended.

Getting a professional diagnosis will clarify the type of treatment you should pursue. Please do not attempt to wait out a neck injury or to treat it yourself. This could lead to aggravation of your condition.

What neck injuries are caused by auto accidents?

Whiplash — the violent, back-and-forth movement of the head and neck — is one of the most common causes of neck injuries from car accidents. This trauma causes problems with various parts of your neck’s cervical spine system, especially:

• Ligaments
• Facet joints
• Muscles

There are many specific injuries and neck conditions, so it is important to get a professional diagnosis to narrow down the possibilities. On a related topic, some symptoms which seem to indicate other types of injuries, such as leg or arm pain, could also be caused by injuries to your neck.

How much does neck injury treatment cost?

It would be difficult to predict the total cost of recovering from a neck injury without a specific diagnosis. Some conditions improve relatively quickly with minimally invasive treatment. Others may require a more sustained investment of time, effort, and resources. At PhysMed, we prioritize lower-risk therapies if they could be effective in treating the injuries from which our patients are suffering. We believe this leads to lower costs and more favorable outcomes overall.

Does insurance cover whiplash?

Apart from health insurance, you may also use personal injury protection to pay for some of your costs if you were involved in an auto accident. When your caregiver diagnoses you with an emergency medical condition following an accident, your PIP policy should become valid and cover part of the losses you incur due to your injury.

In general, PIP covers 80% of the immediate costs of an emergency medical condition. However, Florida law requires a specific type of diagnosis. It is important that you work with a medical provider who understands their role with regards to this law in order to make sure you have the potential of maximizing your insurance benefits.

Working with the different types of insurance for the first time while suffering from a neck injury has the potential to be overwhelming. There is no need to puzzle through it all alone — call us at (941) 921-4884 and let us support you during this process.