What To Do After An Auto Accident

Emergency Rooms & Urgent Care

First and foremost, you must take care of your health. After you have been in an auto accident seek care as soon as possible. This doesn’t always mean going directly to an emergency room. If you believe you are seriously injured, certainly going immediately to the nearest hospital is warranted. Many people are afraid of emergency room expenses. It is true that emergency room visits can be extremely expensive and frustrating. However, do not let financial fears deter you from seeking care. NOTHING is more valuable than your health.

Many times people will not feel the full magnitude of their injuries until a day or two or even a week after their car accident. Our office has an experienced staff that can examine and treat your auto accident-related injuries. In our office, we can also recommend a number of medical specialists in the Sarasota area if your injuries are outside of the scope of our office. One thing we can guarantee is that we will alleviate your anxiety and answer any questions you may have after this traumatic event.

We also see a number of patients who, have been to the emergency room and given 3-4 days of medications and told to follow up with their doctor. The problem is many people do not have a regular (primary care) doctor or the patient’s regular doctor does not take auto insurance or exam patients involved in an accident. Additionally, patients are told to follow up with a specific doctor that may not have an immediate appointment. This leaves the patient with the option of making multiple visits to the emergency room or an urgent care center. The waiting room times and expense of these return visits are a financial burden to the patient and logistically problematic for emergency rooms and urgent care centers. At the Center for Physical Medicine, we can guarantee a same-day appointment for those who need it.

Our Chiropractic office can prescribe any imaging that may be needed, begin therapy for your injuries, or refer you to the appropriate specialist.

What many people do not know is the importance of seeking medical care after an accident from a legal standpoint. Remember, at some point, there is going to be an insurance company and their attorney(s) involved. Seeking medical care within 48-72 hrs. of an accident suggests injury. A delay in seeking care suggests that the injuries are not severe or do not exist. This, of course, is not a fact, it is an interpretation of circumstances. Insurance companies and their attorneys will often choose this “interpretation”. Why let someone tell you that you are or were not in pain because you did not seek medical care?

Do not interpret the above to mean “it’s too late” if you are reading this and haven’t been seen by a health professional. It is common for people to try rest and use over-the-counter medications in hope of obtaining relief from the pain. If this has failed, call our office and explain that you were in an accident and your pain has not improved. If you are in the Sarasota area, we can help. Let your insurance company worry about the “interpretation”. Let us start getting you healthy and feeling back to normal.