If you know you’re injured, you should either:
- Go to the emergency room immediately if it’s serious, or
- Schedule an appointment with your normal doctor if you do not need emergency care
However: although your primary care doctor is your first line of defense in most situations, they specialize in treating illnesses and chronic conditions, not accident injuries. They will most likely need to refer you to a specialist. The specialist can give you a more thorough evaluation, properly diagnose your injury, and get you the full care you need.
How do I decide what kind of doctor to see?
First, if you have serious injuries and the medics think you should be transported to the emergency room in an ambulance, listen to them. You risk injuring yourself more if you don’t do what they recommend.
If you have hit your head, have cuts or burns, or are in pain, you should also go to the emergency room. You could have a head injury or broken bones, or you may need stitches and wound care. Emergency rooms are equipped to perform tests, diagnose your injuries, and perform initial treatments. The doctors there will know whether to admit you to the hospital or refer you to a specialist for follow-up.
If you didn’t go to the emergency room right after the accident, but you have now developed symptoms—or your symptoms have gotten worse—you need to get checked out as soon as possible. Some symptoms indicate a potentially life-threatening condition. If you are in doubt, go to the emergency room or an urgent care center. Ultimately, you will need to see a specialist in the type of injury you have. If you haven’t been referred to a specialist already, you can find one through your primary care doctor, your health insurance company, or by searching online.
Sometimes, a primary care doctor won’t see you if you have been hurt in a car accident. This is an insurance issue, and you shouldn’t take it personally. A car accident attorney around Atlanta can put you in touch with doctors who have experience diagnosing and treating accident injuries. These doctors can tell you what you will need to recover, and what it will cost. Your lawyer will use this information to help you get the other driver’s insurance company to pay you the full cost of your injuries.
Who will pay my doctor bills?
If you were not at fault in the accident, you can make a personal injury claim and the other driver’s insurance company should pay your costs. But the claims process can take months, or even longer if you end up filing a lawsuit. The other driver’s insurance company won’t pay out anything until there is a final settlement or court verdict in your case. In the meantime, you need to get medical care.
If you have health insurance, we recommend that you have all your medical costs billed to your health insurance. Sometimes hospitals want to bill the other driver’s insurance company. While this sounds helpful, it means that in the end, you will get less money than you would if your health insurance had been billed.
If you don’t have health insurance but you have car insurance, the personal injury coverage on your auto insurance policy can be used to pay your medical bills. Contact your car insurance company to find out how this works and how billing should be handled. Be aware that not all doctors will bill a car insurance company.
A personal injury lawyer is an important part of the financial side of any car accident injury. A lawyer can make a strong case to the other driver’s insurance company, proving your injuries, the treatment you will need, and what it will all cost. A lawyer is the best way to make sure you get the care you need, without having to worry that you won’t have the money to pay for it.
Talk to an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer for Free
Our lawyers have devoted their careers to helping accident victims get money to pay for their injuries. We never charge you any money unless we get money for you. Let us give you a free consultation to talk about your accident and help you decide what to do. Call us at (404) 341-6555 or fill out the form to the right to get your free consultation today.
