After suffering an injury in a car wreck it is extremely important that you seek medical attention. Going to a doctor will not only help you get better, but it will also help your personal injury claim. First, you should evaluate whether it is necessary to go to an emergency room to receive emergency services. Doctors in emergency rooms specialize in taking care of patients who have been injured in auto collisions. Many times after visiting an emergency room, those doctors will recommend that you follow up with another doctor. It may not be enough to visit any doctor. You may want to visit with a doctor who specializes in treating patients who have traumatic injuries such as those resulting from a car crash.
Simply going to see a doctor is only part of the process. It is absolutely important that you listen to your doctor and follow your doctor advice. You should tell your doctor everything that is bothering you physically whether you believe that it is resulting from the collision or not. You may not believe that a subtle physical condition is related to the collision, but it is best to discuss these issues with your doctor because it may be related. For instance, numbness and tingling in your fingers and toes can be symptoms of a neck (cervical) or lower spine (lumbar) injury resulting from the collision. These are serious injuries that may require additional medical treatment.
You should attend all of your medical appointments. You should follow your doctor’s advice if he/she refers you for additional diagnostic testing. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist after reviewing the results of diagnostic testing. Once again, you should definitely take your doctor’s advice and visit with a specialist.
Listening to your doctor, discussing your injuries with your doctor and following your doctor’s advice is the best way for you to get better. This will also help your personal injury claim. Insurance companies will review the medical bills and records from all of the doctors that you visited to determine the extent of your injuries. Missing appointments and not following through on doctor’s advice can and likely will hurt your claim. It may also leave you in pain.
