In the United States, the primary cause of death among people under the age of 55 is motor vehicle crashes. In 2016, there were 7.2 million passenger car accidents in the country. It has also been revealed that light trucks and large trucks were the second- and third-leading types of vehicles involved in traffic accidents that same year – 5.01 million light trucks and 502,000 large trucks.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal that people in the United States spend over 1 million days in the hospital every year due to injuries from car accidents. In 2012, over 2.5 million people in the U.S. visited the emergency department (EDs) for crash injuries – nearly 200,000 were then admitted for hospitalization. The CDC also reported that a leading cause of death in the country is motor vehicle crashes with more than 100 people dying each day. In 2015, over 2.5 million drivers and passengers were treated in EDs as a result of being injured in car accidents.
Car accidents can be both a harrowing and painful experience for anyone involved in one. It can also cause the injured a lot of stress. If you have been in an auto accident, it is important to seek medical attention and get evaluated by the physicians at Chambers Medical Group as soon as possible. You must remember that even minor accidents can lead to severe injuries – some of these injuries do not manifest for several days. So what type of doctor should you see after being injured in a car accident? Here is a look at some of the options you have.
Emergency Room and Urgent Care: Emergency departments are often the only choice you have if you have sustained a severe or life-threatening injury in an automobile accident. ER doctors are also a valid choice, even if you do not have a potentially fatal injury. These physicians can evaluate your injuries and provide the medication or treatment you need to start the healing process. You may be required to go for a follow-up visit to another doctor after a few days.
Urgent care is another option available for care after a car accident, but as with ER care, you may not receive the comprehensive treatment and care you need following an accident and will need to follow up with another doctor.
Primary Care Physician: Another option for treatment and care after an auto accident is your primary care physician. However, your family doctor might refuse to see you after a car crash as they are not set up to bill your PIP (car) insurance or may not feel comfortable treating car accident injuries. Many primary care physicians refer their patients to Chambers Medical Group for comprehensive car accident care.
Car Accident Doctor: The best choice for Emergency Room follow-ups is a doctor that limits his practice to treating injuries caused by car accidents. You can get comprehensive car accident injury care at Chambers Medical Group and make sure that you recover successfully from your injuries. A doctor that limits his practice to car accident injuries has the expertise required to properly diagnose, treat and care for injuries that have been sustained in automobile crashes. Car accident doctors understand that there can be many types of injuries sustained in a collision, even minor ones. They also know that even if a person involved in a car crash does not sustain any physically visible injuries, there can be serious, possibly life-threatening, injuries and damage to internal organs. They will conduct the necessary tests to determine whether or not you have internal injuries and based on the results, provide the appropriate treatment and medications.
A car accident doctor will also ask you to return for a follow-up visit to see if you have experienced any symptoms or if any of your injuries have worsened. Your doctor will provide you with a report stating the extent or severity of your injuries and the treatment you require. This report can be helpful if you plan to make an insurance claim or file a lawsuit against the person responsible for the car accident.
Chiropractor: It is also important to see a chiropractor immediately after a car accident. As mentioned earlier, you can sustain injuries in a crash even if you do not have visible cuts or wounds. When you visit a chiropractor following an auto accident, you can receive much needed treatment. In fact, they may be able to provide better or more effective treatment than any other type of doctor.
A chiropractor can address certain issues after you have been in an auto accident, including the following:
Whether minor or severe, it is important to seek immediate medical care and treatment from a trusted car accident chiropractor or doctor, to make sure that you recover from your injuries successfully. Visit Chambers Medical Group or call us at 1-888-6 BackMan to get top-notch care for car accident injuries. You can also contact us online.
Chambers Medical group has car accident treatment clinics in the following locations: