On occasion some patients have expressed to me how they were afraid to file a insurance claim for fear of having their rates increase. In most states there is a law which forbids the insurance company from rising the rate due to a car injury if the accident was deemed not there fault.
Additionally, when you do not claim your injury and then several days later start to feel the consequences of the accident this gives the insurance company additional excuse to not cover your claim. Where you may be left with paying for any future medical expenses.
Often times the insurance company will contact the victim and offer funds to immediately settle a potential claim. The problem is when patients settle there claim without an examination and doctors release the insurance company is no longer obligated to pay for any future treatment.
In our experience many patients often notice symptoms hours and days after the injury. The most common cause for this is immediately after the accident the body produces endorphin’s which act as pain blockers. In the following days the endorphin’s decrease and now the patients often start to feel more of the effects of the car injury. The most common symptoms seen days after the car accident injury are pain, stiffness and muscle ache. If you are in an auto accident, you need to report it within 14 days to your insurance company! Or they will deny all coverage for your care.
There are two reasons missing doctors appointment are a mistake. First when patients miss doctors appointment they may suffer lack of proper therapy in which case this can result in a permanent injury. The second reason missing doctors appointment are a mistake is the insurance company interprets this as there not being a significant problem and this commonly reduces the patients claim.
Physical medicine in the repair phase of healing is important to diminish the likely-hood of a permanent injury. The body heals in three phases and it is during the second or repairs phase of healing that scar tissue is produced. Without physical medicine this newly formed scar tissue will heal permanently weaker, less strong and more painful and sensitive.
It is our experience that patient who do not consult with a personal injury attorney often have a more difficult time getting the treatment needed and paid for. A personal injury attorney consult will shed light on the complicated rule of a car accident injury.
When patients do not follow the doctors instruction it commonly hurts the in two ways. The first being the possibility of not obtain the proper treatment protocol for their specific injury. The second is the insurance company will request all of the doctors records. If they show a non compliant patient occasionally the insurance company will view this as the injury is not as severe and therefore reduce a possible claim.
The body heals in three phases; the inflammation, repair and remodel phase. Each phase requires a different form of therapy. As an example the therapy of the inflammation ion phase should be geared to reducing the pain and inflammation. The therapy geared toward the repair phase should include physical medicine such as chiropractic to affect scar tissue and joint mobility. The therapy for the remodel phase should be geared towards increasing strength and elasticity. If you do not receive the appropriate therapy for each of the phases of healing this will increase the likelihood of a permanent injury.
It is a mistake to not receive a second opinion from a spinal doctor such as a chiropractor after a car accident injury. The reason is spinal doctors such as chiropractors have special training in the bones, nerves, discs and muscles of the spine.
It is a mistake to not follow through with the doctors orders due to feeling better. A common example is often patients start to feel better during the repair phase of healing and opt out of future care. The reason this is a mistake is it is the remodel phase of heeling which will significantly reduce the likelihood of a permanent injury. The goal of therapy in the remodel phase of healing is to increase the strength and elasticity of the injury tissue preventing the likelihood of a permanent injury.