If you have been injured in an accident here in Florida, make sure you are treated by a doctor who is an expert in accident injuries, because not all doctors know what to look for, especially in car accident victims, slip-and-fall victims, and those injured by recreational vehicles or sporting equipment. Here in Florida, the vacation destination of the world, injuries are unfortunately not rare. As a personal injury attorney and lifetime Florida resident, I am committed to helping my fellow Floridians get the compensation they need when they are injured due to the negligence of others.
If medical personnel come to the scene of your injury, or if you are transported by ambulance to a hospital for immediate treatment, do not refuse such treatment. An immediate examination to find any obvious injuries and any possible internal bleeding or other critical medical emergencies is always a good idea. But be sure to follow up with specialists.
PIP Coverage
PIP coverage on your auto insurance requires that you see a medical practitioner within two weeks of a car accident in order to be eligible for payment of your medical bills (up to $10,000) but you should not stop after just one visit to the doctor. Even if you’re feeling pretty well after an accident, you cannot assume that you have not been injured. Shock can mask pain for hours or even days after an accident, and certain injuries (like soft tissue injuries) may not present for weeks. An injury that might have been missed by the ER doctor or your family doctor may not cause pain right away but could worsen over time, exacerbated by your normal activity.
For this reason, I advise every accident victim to find a doctor who has extensive experience diagnosing and treating accident victims. I also advise you to schedule multiple appointments so your doctor can monitor your progress or proactively treat injuries associated with the accident that are beginning to present themselves a while after the event.
Accident Doctors
If your injury is straightforward, for instance, a broken leg, you may think you can just see your family doctor or an orthopedic doctor to repair it. But the body is a connected system, and rarely is one part of the body injured without it affecting other parts. That’s why, when accident victims call me shortly after an accident, I encourage them to be seen by an accident doctor.
There are medical groups in Florida that focus on post-accident medicine. Some of the most common injuries after an accident can be misunderstood by doctors who are not used to treating patients who have been injured in an accident. Besides obvious injuries such as lacerations and broken bones, accident victims may experience more subtle injuries, such as:
- Neck and back pain
- Headaches and dizziness
- Whiplash
- Shoulder pain
- Soreness and strains
- Tingling or numbness
- Depression, anxiety, PTSD symptoms
- Gastric problems or respiratory problems
- Brain fog
- Changed senses (eyesight, hearing, taste, etc.)
- Difficulty with balance
These subtle symptoms often point to serious underlying problems, and many doctors do not have the experience to recognize them, order the correct tests, and diagnose your hidden injuries before they get worse. Accident doctors do this every day.
Accident doctors often work in groups with a wide variety of specialists; chiropractors, orthopedists, medical doctors, physical therapists, neurologists, and pain management specialists may all be practicing in the same group and sharing their expertise to help you reach full recovery.
Accident doctors can also prove to be invaluable when it comes to proving that your injuries or conditions are accident-related. If you choose to sue for compensation, proving the connection between the accident and the injury is essential to your case.
As a Florida personal injury lawyer, I am committed to helping Florida residents throughout the state receive just and fair compensation to help them cope with the injuries they have sustained through someone else’s negligence. I work vigorously to uncover every possible expense or complication for my clients to help them get the maximum settlement for their injuries. Contact me, 24/7, at (954) 448-7288 for a free consultation to see how I can help you.