How to Find a Car Accident Doctor for Your Injuries: The Guide
Your Treating Physicians Have a Significant Role in Your Health and Damages You Recover in a Personal Injury Lawsuit from a Motor Vehicle Collision
You must see a doctor after a car accident to get the medical treatment needed to heal and fair compensation for your bodily injuries from the wreck.
This is true no matter how minor or severe your auto accident injuries. The other driver’s liability insurer (or jury if you go to trial) will review your doctor’s examinations, disability and causation statements, and treatment recommendations to see if they support your claim for damages.
Indeed, the doctors you see after a car accident are often critical witnesses in your personal injury case.
This article explains how to choose the right doctors after a car crash. Several medical specialists can help your health and case depending on the type of injuries suffered. And we want you to find the right one.
Keep reading to learn more about doctors who treat car accident injuries.
And if you have more questions or want to talk to a top-rated personal injury attorney about your car accident lawsuit or workers compensation claim, call us at 804-251-1620 or 757-810-5614.
We get results for injured persons. And with offices in Richmond, Newport News, Baltimore, Cambridge, and Hagerstown, we can come to you.
Should You Always See a Doctor After a Motor Vehicle Crash?
Yes, we recommend seeing a doctor if you are in a car accident – even if you feel okay.
A doctor can:
- Detect injuries and conditions you may not have noticed due to an adrenaline rush after the crash or more apparent bodily injuries. For example, you may have internal bleeding or a spinal cord injury that explains your symptoms. Or the pain from a broken bone or amputation injury may mask traumatic brain injury (such as a concussion or skull fracture).
- Act to prevent injuries or conditions from worsening.
- Help you manage pain and other symptoms (such as numbness, tingling, or headaches)
Seek medical attention after the crash to get peace of mind about your injuries and the next steps.
What Medical Treatment Should I Get After a Car Wreck?
The medical care you need after a car accident depends on the severity of your injuries and your mobility.
Depending on these factors, you may need to see one of these doctors:
- Emergency Department (ED) (sometimes called an accident and emergency department, emergency room, or emergency ward).
- Primary Care Physician (PCP)
- Urgent Care Center
- Medical Specialist
Emergency Room Doctor
You should go to the emergency room (ER) by ambulance or private vehicle if you have severe or life-threatening injuries after a car accident.
In addition, seeing an ER doctor may be your best option if the auto accident happens at night and other medical facilities, including your primary care provider, are closed.
ER doctors specialize in treating patients with acute (sudden, severe onset) injuries who do not have appointments but need immediate medical attention.
You can find an emergency department at the hospital closest to the crash.
Primary Care Provider (Family Doctor)
If you can deal with your injuries long enough to avoid emergency or urgent care, you can make an appointment with your primary care provider (PCP), also called a family medicine doctor.
Tell your PCP about the car accident and describe your physical and mental symptoms. Then ask for a physical examination. In addition, ask your PCP to refer you for specialized care if they think it is needed.
Your primary care provider may hesitate to provide care for your auto accident injuries due to anxiety about having to testify during litigation.
If you run into this problem, ask your PCP to see you once to document your condition and refer you elsewhere. This initial medical record and later referrals can help build your case.
Urgent Care Center
If you do not have life-threatening injuries from the automobile accident but your primary care physician’s office is closed or far away, we recommend seeing a doctor at a nearby urgent care center.
Urgent care facilities are walk-in medical clinics focused on treating injuries that need immediate care but not the level of attention required in a hospital ER.
Examples of urgent care centers include:
- AFC (American Family Care) Urgent Care
- CareNow (formerly BetterMed)
- Concentra
- MedExpress
- Patient First
Medical Specialist
The first doctor you see after a car accident may refer you to another physician for additional diagnostic testing, imaging, or treatment.
This second doctor is a medical specialist.
A medical specialist is a physician who focuses on a specific area of medicine or a group of patients to diagnose, manage, and treat symptoms and conditions within that area.
Doctor referrals to specialists are common.
The next section tells you the types of medical specialists who may provide treatment for your car accident injuries.
What Medical Specialists Treat Car Accident Injuries?
Physicians from multiple medical specialties may serve as car accident doctors.
For example:
Anesthesiology
Anesthesiologists provide anesthesia to patients undergoing medical procedures or surgeries.
Anesthesia involves the use of gases or drugs to induce the temporary loss of sensation or awareness for medical reasons.
An anesthesiologist may provide care if you need epidural steroid injections (ESIs) for a herniated disc, total knee replacement, spinal fusion, or other operations or procedures because of the wreck.
Cardiology
Cardiologists treat the heart and cardiovascular system.
You may see a cardiologist if you suffered a heart attack in the car wreck or if you develop hypertension (high blood pressure) or high cholesterol from the accident’s effects. For example, you may gain weight and have increased blood pressure or cholesterol because you cannot exercise due to the car crash injuries.
Dentistry
Dentists specialize in injuries and conditions of the teeth, gums, and mouth.
You will see a dentist if you suffer an injury to one of these body parts in the crash.
Dermatology
A dermatologist can help manage burn injuries and wounds resulting from the crash.
Indeed, many burn specialists have dermatology training.
Diagnostic Radiology
You will likely undergo diagnostic testing and imaging as part of the treatment for your auto accident injuries.
If so, a radiologist will review and interpret the results of your X-Rays, ultrasound imaging, CT scans, or Magnetic Resonance Images (MRIs).
Results from radiologic testing often influences the diagnosis and course of treatment. Indeed, your car accident doctor may use the imaging to decide if you are a surgical candidate.
Gastroenterology
Gastroenterologists diagnose and treat conditions affecting the gastrointestinal system.
This body system includes the stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and esophagus.
You will see a gastroenterologist if you suffer damages to one of these organs in the accident.
Neurology
A neurologist is a medical doctor that focuses on diagnosing, treating, and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system.
Therefore, you will likely see a neurologist if you suffer a concussion in a car accident.
Ophthalmology
An ophthalmologist is a physician specializing in treating and caring for the eyes.
For example, you will see an opthalmologist if a piece of glass from the windshield or other debris goes into your eye during the crash.
Orthopedics
Orthopedic doctors (including orthopaedic surgeons) treat injuries and conditions involving your bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments.
You will likely have an orthopedic physician as your car accident doctor after initial treatment with the hospital, your PCP, or an urgent care facility.
Indeed, much of our practice involves communicating with and obtaining disability letters from orthopedists on behalf of the auto accident victims we represent.
Otolaryngology
If you suffer an injury to the ears, nose, or throat in the motor vehicle collision, you will great with an otolaryngologist.
Otolaryngologists are called ENTs, which is short for ear, nose, and throat doctor.
Pain Management
Your orthopedic surgeon or podiatrist may refer you to a pain management specialist once you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI) for your bodily injuries.
This doctor’s goal is to reduce your pain and increase your function.
We see pain management doctors treat injured workers and auto accident victims in many cases, particularly those where the injured person develops complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
Pediatrics
Pediatricians specialize in diagnosing and treating patients from infancy through adolescence.
A pediatrician may get involved if your child suffers an injury in a car accident.
Physiatry (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medicine)
Physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors focus on restoring your functional ability and quality of life.
Usually you get a referral for a physiatrist when another of your car accident doctors declares you have reached MMI.
The physiatrist helps determine what help you will need with activities of daily living and whether vehicle or home modifications are necessary.
Indeed, the physiatrist may work with the life care planner hired by your attorney in auto accident lawsuits involving catastrophic injuries.
Podiatry
Podiatrists specialize in injuries to the feet, toes, and ankles.
Psychiatry
Psychiatrists diagnose and treat mental health conditions.
For example, you may see a psychiatrist for a car accident if you develop depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Pulmonology
You will see a pulmonologist if you suffer harm to the lungs in the car accident.
Surgery
You may need one or more operations for your car crash injuries.
If so, you will see one of these types of surgeons:
- Colon and rectal surgery
- General surgery
- Neurological surgery
- Orthopaedic surgery
- Plastic surgery (particularly if you suffer burn injuries or scarring)
- Thoracic surgery
- Vascular surgery
Urology
Some auto accidents result in injuries to the urinary tract.
This body system includes the kidneys, bladder, urethra, ureter, and sex organs.
You will see a urologist if you suffer injury to these body parts.
Can I See Other Medical Providers Along with the Car Accident Doctor?
Yes.
Other health care providers may provide treatment to support your car accident doctor’s care plan.
For example, your orthopedic surgeon may suggest you attend physical therapy or see a chiropractor if you suffer a back injury in the crash.
You should follow your auto accident physician’s advice and seek this alternate treatment.
Treatment from your physical therapist or chiropractor will not only help you heal, but it will also create documentation to support your lawsuit.
Additional Advice That Works No Matter What Car Accident Doctor You Choose
No matter the doctors and specialists that provide care for your auto accident injuries, we recommend that you:
- Make all your scheduled appointments.
- Comply with your doctor’s orders.
- Follow the prescribed work restrictions or limitations on daily living activities to avoid reinjury.
- Ask your doctor for a second opinion if you feel uncertain about the treatment plan.
- Bring up concerns with medical treatment with your attorney.
Are You Ready for Help from a Car Accident Attorney?
The doctors you see after a motor vehicle crash affect how well you heal and recover and the value of your personal injury case.
If you need help deciding what doctor to see or want answers to the other questions that arise after a car accident, call us at 804-251-1620 or 757-810-5614.
We have obtained top-dollar auto accident settlements for many people that were hurt just like you. And we know how to build a case that scares the insurance adjuster into offering more money.
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