What Medical Exams Are Common Following a Car Accident?
After you’ve been injured in a car accident, a trip to the hospital is likely to be in your future. Whether you choose to immediately go there via an ambulance or soon after via another mode of transportation, the important thing is that you seek medical attention. But what kind of medical exams and treatments await you at the hospital? This question and others related to it are answered in the sections below.
Note: You should seek medical attention as soon as possible, as delaying is likely to make seeking compensation difficult later on.
Call 1-800-HURT-511 and we’ll connect you with best-in-class car accident lawyers in Williamsburg. They’ve helped car accident victims who were injured through no fault of their own receive just compensation, and they will do what it takes to make sure you receive what’s owed to you following a car accident.
Why Is Seeking Medical Attention After an Accident Important?
Seeking medical attention after a car accident is incredibly important for a variety of reasons. First, if you don’t have formal documentation of injuries sustained during the crash, it’ll be very difficult (if not impossible) to seek damages for these injuries later on. After all, how could you assert you need to be compensated for injuries without proof of injuries? And even if an injury seems clearly related to a car accident, its relation to the accident may be contested by your insurance provider.
A medical professional will be able to conduct a range of exams following a car accident, and they’ll be able to treat injuries sustained as well. They can give prognoses and identify injuries that may become noticeable later on; this latter point is especially important.
Some car accident victims think they are fine after an accident, only to realize later on that they’ve sustained more accident-related injuries than first thought.
And keep in mind that the longer you wait to receive medical attention, the harder it will be to connect sustained injuries with the car accident. But if you get medical attention right away, a record of injuries will be created immediately so there’s a link between the injuries and the car accident.
Which Injuries Are Common Following a Car Accident?
A range of injuries can be sustained during car accidents. The types of injuries you may sustain largely depends on how severe the crash was. For example, if you’re involved in a low-speed, rear-end collision, it’s likely you won’t sustain the kind of injuries that someone will sustain in a high-speed highway accident that involves multiple drivers and large trucks. Below are common car accident injuries, and these are what attending physicians will be looking for when they examine you following a car accident:
- Foot & ankle injuries
- Facial disfigurement
- Dismemberment
- Shoulder injuries
- Burns
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Knee injuries
- Broken ribs
- Broken pelvis
- Soft tissue injuries
- PTSD
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Hand & wrist injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Crush injuries
- Cuts & lacerations
Since you could sustain a wide range of injuries during a car accident, you need to get your entire body, including your brain, examined so you know precisely how you were injured. Without a clear picture of your injuries, you won’t be able to seek a proper amount in damages, and should accident-related injuries manifest after the case has been settled, you’ll have to pay for expenses related to these out of pocket.
The Common Medical Exams That Are Given Following a Car Accident
The following are exams you are likely to get in the wake of a car accident:
MRI Scan
MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) are given to determine the extent of bone, soft tissue, organ, and nerve injuries. An MRI is a more in-depth test than an X-ray, and MRIs are often given to diagnose spinal cord and brain injuries.
X-Ray
X-rays can identify fractures, dislocated joints, and other skeletal damage. They can also detect spinal cord injuries.
CT Scan
A CT scan, commonly known as a “CAT scan”, is an evaluation that utilizes both computer imaging and X-rays to paint a clear picture of how your internal systems are doing. If you’ve sustained injuries to organs, or if you’re experiencing internal bleeding, brain damage, ligament or tendon injuries, or bruised nerves, these injuries will be picked up on the CT scan. Generally speaking, CT scans are quicker than MRIs, but MRIs are more detailed.
Who Pays for Medical Bills in a Car Accident?
In the end, how much you pay out of pocket for medical bills depends on how much fault you bear. If you bear no fault in the car accident, you will receive compensation that covers all medical expenses related to the accident. If you bear some fault, you will receive some compensation, and it’s likely you’ll have to pay remaining balances out of pocket.
And if your health insurance provider covered some of the costs along the way, you’ll have to pay them back if you receive a settlement. In general, medical costs are paid for up front, and then the accident victim is reimbursed when they receive a settlement. Or you could sign an agreement, wherein you agree to pay medical expenses later on after you receive a settlement.
Why Do Insurance Providers Ask for Independent Medical Exams?
Insurance providers have been known to ask for independent medical exams if they’re suspicious of the medical records you presented them with. If you get an independent exam and contrary results are found, it’s likely the case will end up in court soon after. There are some avenues a car accident lawyer can pursue to ensure you avoid burdensome and redundant medical exams.
How a Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You Seek Medical Attention
After you seek medical attention, the first thing you should do is reach out to a car accident lawyer, as once you bring them on they can begin pursuing a claim the right way. A car accident lawyer can help you receive proper medical care immediately following the car accident, and they may even send you to a top-notch doctor who they view as reliable and highly skilled. And your car accident lawyer will get the ball rolling on your case while you focus on recovery.
Nowadays, finding a car accident lawyer in Williamsburg can be frustrating. But if you call 1-800-HURT-511, we’ll connect you with multilingual, experienced car accident lawyers who’ve recovered more than $1 billion for their clients. You only pay if you win. Call 1-800-HURT-511 now, as time is running out.
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