Most of today’s drivers know the more important things to do right after being in an accident, but what about when that accident involves an injury to you? Most drivers understand the importance of getting check out and treated at a local hospital, but what about everything that happens after that, whether with your insurance or your treatment? If you have been recently injured in a car accident, or if you just want to be prepared in case it ever happens, then you’ll want to pay attention to all these things you need to know about car accident injuries.
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Make Healthcare Providers Aware
Whether you are immediately sent to a hospital for treatment or you see your own healthcare provider days after the accident, you need to ensure the healthcare provider knows this was due to an accident. Having this documented on your medical forms can help you seek the right treatment. For instance, most auto insurance policies have a medical coverage portion, and letting healthcare providers know the injuries were due to an accident means the cost of treatment should likely be covered by the auto insurance and not out of your pocket. Be sure any treatments you receive are documented with the accident as the root cause so you can be correctly compensated for treatments.
Discuss your Treatment Options with your Provider
Seeking treatment for your injuries is extremely important, and you should discuss all your options with your healthcare provider. For instance, some injuries may require you to see a physical therapist while others may result in you needing surgery or just seeing a chiropractor. Whatever the injury may be, ensure you talk with all your healthcare providers about what the options are for you to get the right treatment. According to citywideinjury.com, an accident and injury chiropractor in Houston, TX, “Seeking treatment right away is the most important thing you can do for your well-being after an accident. If you don’t seek treatment, you could end up doing more damage to your body, and that’s not something you want to test.”
Talk to your Auto Insurance Provider
If you suffered an injury from an auto accident, be sure to talk with your auto insurance provider about what you need to do to have the cost of your injury and treatment covered by insurance. Keep in mind this will vary based on whether or not the accident is being covered by your insurance or the insurance of another driver, but you should still call your provider and get a basic understanding of what is covered and what you can expect. Plus, you’ll also want to talk with them about the process for submitting medical claims and ensure you have all the necessary information.
Keep Duplicates of Everything
When it comes to getting insurance companies to pay your medical bills, you will be required to submit a lot of documentation and information. In order to ensure you are doing everything that is asked of you, it’s important for you to keep duplicates of everything, such as medical visit records, payments made to doctors, etc. Ask the healthcare provider to print you receipts or copies of anything they can share with you, and then keep one for yourself and send one to the insurance companies. As long as you have a copy of everything you sent, you can rest assured that nothing will be overlooked or lost during the review of your medical claims.
Be Patient
While the last thing you want is more of a headache when it comes to dealing with a car accident injury, it’s important for you to remember to be patient. Sometimes treatment or getting coverage from the insurance company can be a lengthy process, and getting stressed or upset over it will only make it worse. Instead of allowing this to impact other areas of your life, just try to understand there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you will get there eventually. If it helps, talk with your healthcare provider and/or insurance company to get an estimated timeline on when you can expect everything to be complete.
Being injured in a car accident is stressful, but the more you have an understanding of what to expect when it happens, the easier it will be on you to keep moving forward. Use these tips as a guideline, but be sure to reach out to your insurance company and/or provider for more accurate information.