Chiropractic and Injury Education

How to Avoid Long-Term Costs Of Medical Care After a Car Wreck

Written by Dr. Calvin Erhabor | Oct 11, 2017 4:33:10 PM

You can easily avoid long-term medical costs after a car accident by seeking immediate medical treatment.

Insurance companies will be more likely to cooperate and pay for your treatment and medical expenses if you have proper documentation from a quality doctor or chiropractor stating that your injuries were obtained as a direct result of the car crash.

Without official medical records documenting your injuries, there is very little chance your treatment will be covered, leaving you with extensive medical expenses. 

In this blog, we take a look at how accident victims pay for medical bills after an automobile accident and how to schedule a Free Chiropractic Consultation with Arrowhead Clinic.

Related post: Top 5 Most Dangerous Intersections in Nashville, TN

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One of the biggest mistakes a person can make after being involved in an Auto Accident is to refuse medical treatment and an examination by a Doctor.

Seeking immediate medical care and the quality of care that you receive will both play a significant role in the value of your personal injury accident case.

Failing to seek treatment can not only reduce the settlement amount that you receive, but it can also have serious long-term effects on your health.

If you decide later that you need medical attention, the majority of auto insurance companies will not pay for medical treatment if you wait too long to see a doctor after being involved in a Car Accident.

How The Insurance Company Will Evaluate Your Treatment

Your Insurance Company will be more likely to cooperate and pay for your medical treatment if they believe your injuries were obtained as a direct result of the car collision.

For them to believe this, they will need proper documentation from a medical expert stating that the injuries you suffered were caused by the crash.

Without this documentation, there is very little chance your treatment will be covered, which is why it is so important to see a Doctor as soon as possible after your accident.

When you wait too long after becoming injured, the insurance company will not associate your injuries with the accident and, therefore, deny your claim. This can cause a lot of problems, especially if your medical bills and future costs of treatment are left solely to you.

If your injuries require long-term chiropractic treatment or physical therapy, you may be left with full financial obligation just by putting off a doctor visit too long.

The Cost of Medical Care

Accident-related injuries often require expensive tests and examinations to diagnose a condition or rule out others.

For example, if a head injury occurs in a car crash, the patient may need to have appropriate imaging scans to rule out traumatic brain injury or concussion.

Other types of imaging tests that are typical after a car accident include X-rays and MRIs, both of which will cost you a pretty penny if your insurance company is not handling the bills.

When you see a Doctor promptly following your accident, it will increase the level of cooperation when it comes time to file an insurance claim for maximum compensation against the at-fault party. 

Most insurance companies cannot put up a fight if you have documentation stating your injuries were caused by a crash.

In many cases, they will even have to pay for long-term care and ongoing costs related to the accident if you were diagnosed and began treatment immediately following your accident.

However, on the flip side, extended therapy and diagnostic testing will not be covered by your insurance company if you did not recieve proper treatment and if there is no documentation stating you were injured in a car accident.

This also needs to be done promptly, or the insurance company will put up a fight to get out of paying for your treatment.

How Your Insurance Company Will Interpret a Delay in Treatment

One of the most damaging things you can do for your accident claim is to refuse medical treatment at the time of the accident.

This will allow your insurance company to question the validity of your case, especially if you try to seek treatment later down the road.

Examples of questions the insurance company may ask:

  • Are your injuries the result of the Car Accident?
  • Were you injured in an unrelated incident?
  • Are you faking your injuries because you want to receive compensation?
  • Could your medical expenses have been less had you sought treatment right away?

These questions will dramatically affect your chances of receiving a settlement for your injuries if you file a lawsuit.

Many people who put off medical treatment will say it was because they did not believe they were injured at the time of the accident.

However, even if you do not think you're injured, it is always advised to get the opinion of a professional doctor immediately following an accident.

Some injuries do not present immediate symptoms, but an experienced Doctor would be able to diagnose and treat any underlying injuries before they become worse.

Having the initial examination from a medical expert is the key to having your injuries and treatment covered by your insurance company.

Long-Term Cost of Medical Care

As mentioned above, it is always in your best interest to seek immediate medical services after being involved in a car accident, even if you are not suffering from any visible injuries. 

One of the most common injuries that may take a few days to manifest symptoms is Whiplash.

Whiplash is a common auto accident injury, and if left untreated, it can present long-term, chronic pain and necessary pain management to reduce symptoms.

Symptoms of whiplash:
  • Neck Pain and Stiffness
  • Headaches
  • Pain in the Shoulder or Between the Shoulder Blades
  • Low Back Pain
  • Numbness or Pain in the Arm or Hand
  • Dizziness
  • Trouble with Concentration
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue
  • Memory Loss

A whiplash injury that is left untreated can present long-term needs to reduce pain and get you back to normal. 

Your medical bills associated with your whiplash injury will be entirely up to you to pay if you delayed treatment after your accident.

Medical assistance and effective treatment for a whiplash injury may include chiropractic care, physical therapy, pain management, massage therapy, or a combination of several treatments to get you back to normal.

Depending on the severity of your injury, you could need ongoing treatment for much longer than you can pay for without the help of the insurance company.

Don't Put Off Medical Care - Contact Arrowhead Clinic Today!

Motor vehicle crashes, especially when it is the other party's fault, there is no reason to put off immediate medical treatment. 

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain when it comes to filing an auto insurance claim.

The Chiropractic Doctors at Arrowhead Clinics in Georgia have over 40 years of experience helping victims with car accident-related injuries with their recovery.

For your own sake, do not put off treatment after you become injured in a Car Accident. Instead, let the experts at Arrowhead Clinic diagnose and treat your accident injury.

We will complete a thorough examination and ensure that all the documentation needed by your insurance company is turned in to them promptly.

If you need long-term treatment for your car crash injuries, our Chiropractors will ensure that you receive the proper amount of time and attention that your bodily injuries deserve. 

Our doctors can also provide you with a referral to an experienced personal injury lawyer who can help with your accident injury claim. 

Having an experienced lawyer to help with your accident settlement is your best chance at ensuring adequate compensation for your losses. 

The accident lawyers we work with will ensure that you receive the financial compensation that you are owed for your medical bills and treatment expenses.

If you are the victim of a car crash, get in touch with our chiropractic clinic to schedule a free injury consultation along with a referral for expert legal assistance from an experienced car accident attorney today.