When to See an Auto Injury Doctor in Brooklyn, NY
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are about 7 million car crashes each year in the U.S. Most of the time, the occupants of the vehicles involved walk away relatively unscathed. However, car accident injuries are rising in many states, including New York.
Brooklyn traffic is bad enough, and getting into a severe auto accident only makes things worse for New Yorkers. You need to treat car wreck injuries as soon as possible. New York is a no-fault insurance state, which may impact the doctors you can see. Here is everything you need to know about visiting a no-fault doctor:
What Is a No-Fault Doctor?
A car accident doctor, or no-fault doctor, is a medical professional who has training beyond that of a primary care physician to provide auto accident injury treatment. No-fault doctors bill the insurance carrier directly for your injuries, which means you do not have out-of-pocket medical expenses. A good no-fault clinic has the staff available to bill your insurance company for your injuries promptly.
Many primary care doctors and general practitioners do not accept auto accident victims. They may not have the resources to devote to complicated medical billing and may only accept up-front customer payments. If you plan to visit your primary care doctor after a car accident, make sure they take no-fault insurance or ask if they can refer you to our car accident doctors.
What Does No-Fault Insurance Cover?
No-fault insurance is different from traditional liability auto insurance. All car accident victims must bill their insurance company for their expenses, regardless of who is at fault. A benefit of no-fault insurance is that members often pay lower premiums due to the streamlined claims process. Depending on your policy, your no-fault carrier may cover the following expenses:
- Medical bills: No-fault insurance covers most medical expenses. If you need to visit the Emergency Room after a serious car accident, your personal injury protection covers you. Most follow-up appointments and treatments such as doctor’s visits, physical therapy, and medication are also covered.
- Lost wages: Some policies also provide coverage for lost wages after car accidents. This coverage is applicable if you are unable to work after your accident.
- Bodily injury: Many traditional auto insurance policies allow you to take out bodily injury coverage for an additional cost. This coverage covers the medical bills of anyone injured in the accident if you caused the collision.
Keep in mind most no-fault policies also come with bodily injury coverage as each party must bill their own provider, regardless of who is at fault.
What Is Not Covered By No-Fault Insurance?
Before you contact an auto injury doctor, it is essential to understand what expenses are not included by no-fault insurance. The following costs are typically not covered by no-fault insurance:
- Property damage: No-fault insurance pays for medical expenses. Thus, car repair bills are typically not covered. However, other portions of your insurance policy may provide this benefit.
- Moped accidents: No-fault insurance does not cover medical expenses for accidents involving mopeds.
- Motorcycle accidents: No-fault insurance does not cover medical expenses accidents involving motorcycles, regardless of whether another vehicle was also involved.
You may want to review your policy before contacting a doctor to make sure everything is in place.
What Auto Accident Injury Treatment Is Available?
The most common car accident injuries in New York include whiplash and other neck injuries, broken bones, back injuries, and burns. Treatments for injuries vary depending on the extent of the damage and your current health status. Your car injury doctor may offer the following treatments:
- Medications: Medications such as painkillers and muscle relaxers are often used short-term after a car accident to relieve pain and decrease inflammation. Only take medications prescribed by your injury doctor.
- Therapeutic ultrasounds: While ultrasounds are a powerful diagnostic tool, high-frequency sound waves can also help the healing process. This type of ultrasound treatment, known as phonophoresis, may help increase blood flow, decrease pain, and reduce swelling.
- Exercise therapy: Many car accident patients suffer a loss of mobility and range of motion following a collision. Exercise therapy may help patients regain this mobility by performing exercises that build muscle, improve flexibility, and increase stamina.
- Splints and braces: Fractures, sprains, and broken bones are common injuries after a car accident. If you require a splint for your sprained ankle or a brace for whiplash, your insurance will likely cover this cost. Most auto injury doctors know the various techniques involved with bracing and splinting car accident injuries.
- Physical therapy: Physical therapy may help relieve pain, restore movement, improve flexibility, and treat injuries after a car accident. Some no-fault doctors perform physical therapy as part of their treatment program. Others may refer you to a physical therapist for treatment.
- Physiotherapy: Physiotherapy may treat, restore and maintain a patient’s mobility after a car accident. Physiotherapy is similar to exercise therapy and is often considered a highly effective auto accident injury treatment modality.
- Strengthening therapy: One of the main goals after a car accident is to increase stamina and strength so you can return to work and resume your everyday activities. Partaking in strengthening and conditioning therapy may help reduce pain and facilitate a faster recovery.
- Massage therapy: Massage therapy may help you recover from soft-tissue injuries. The hands-on therapeutic approach performed by a qualified professional may help loosen tissue, relax muscles, and improve circulation.
This is not a comprehensive list of auto accident injury treatment options. Most no-fault doctors provide comprehensive treatment options for common car accident injuries. Your car wreck doctor will assess the severity of your injuries and establish the best treatment plan.
Contact No-Fault Doctors Today in Brooklyn, NY
Are you looking for auto accident injury treatment in Brooklyn? No-Fault-Doctors.com connects accident victims with auto injury doctors. We provide a free online directory of New York doctors experienced in treating auto accident injuries. Don’t wait any longer to get the help you need for your injuries. Contact No-Fault Doctors right now to find the doctor in your local area that accepts no-fault insurance.
Sources:
https://www.allinjurieslawfirm.com/blog/the-top-5-most-common-car-accident-injuries