Can a Visit to the ER Hurt My Case?
This is a question we get from many new clients who come into our office the day after a car accident. If you are bleeding badly, have suffered from broken bones, or were told by an EMT at the scene of your accident that you should visit the emergency room, then you should go immediately. However, if you walk away from an accident and start to experience pain the next day, going to the ER might not be completely necessary.
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Getting the Right Treatment
Right now, a big problem we’re seeing in personal injury cases is incredible high bills after visits to the emergency room that didn’t result in treatment. When a person goes to the ER after a car accident and they aren’t experiencing an obvious life-threatening injury, they’re just put through a series of scans. If these scans diagnose a serious problem, that person is admitted to the hospital for treatment. But quite often, the scans don’t identify a problem, and the patient is sent home with a bill between $10,000–30,000 after getting almost no help.
This isn’t to say you shouldn’t get any treatment. It is important, to both your health and your case, that you are examined by a medical professional soon after your accident. But you may not have to go to the ER. In fact, going to the emergency room could do more harm than good for a couple of reasons.
First, the at-fault party who caused the wreck are able to look at your medical bills and determine if they are “customary and reasonable.” Massive ER bills that resulted in no treatment can be labeled “too much.” Additionally, because Georgia law allowed hospitals to file a lien on your case to get paid, some hospitals may not accept your health insurance and instead demand most of your case settlement in order to cover the huge ER costs.
If you’re in pain after a car accident and wondering if you should visit the emergency room, ultimately this is a decision only you can make. You are experiencing your pain and you can determine whether it’s enough to demand emergency room care. However, if you’re not sure, feel free to come by our office or call (770) 766-0555. We can talk it through and help determine if you need to visit the ER or if you would receive more effective treatment from your regular doctor, a physical therapist, chiropractor, or nonsurgical orthopedic doctor.
you are bleeding badly, have suffered from broken bones, or were told by an EMT at the scene of your accident that you should visit the emergency room, then you should go immediately. However, if you walk away from an accident and start to experience pain the next day, going to the ER might not be completely necessary.
Getting the Right Treatment
Right now, a big problem we’re seeing in personal injury cases is incredible high bills after visits to the emergency room that didn’t result in treatment. When a person goes to the ER after a car accident and they aren’t experiencing an obvious life-threatening injury, they’re just put through a series of scans. If these scans diagnose a serious problem, that person is admitted to the hospital for treatment. But quite often, the scans don’t identify a problem, and the patient is sent home with a bill between $10,000–30,000 after getting almost no help.
This isn’t to say you shouldn’t get any treatment. It is important, to both your health and your case, that you are examined by a medical professional soon after your accident. But you may not have to go to the ER. In fact, going to the emergency room could do more harm than good for a couple of reasons.
First, the at-fault party who caused the wreck are able to look at your medical bills and determine if they are “customary and reasonable.” Massive ER bills that resulted in no treatment can be labeled “too much.” Additionally, because Georgia law allowed hospitals to file a lien on your case to get paid, some hospitals may not accept your health insurance and instead demand most of your case settlement in order to cover the huge ER costs.
If you’re in pain after a car accident and wondering if you should visit the emergency room, ultimately this is a decision only you can make. You are experiencing your pain and you can determine whether it’s enough to demand emergency room care. However, if you’re not sure, feel free to come by our office or call (770) 766-0555. We can talk it through and help determine if you need to visit the ER or if you would receive more effective treatment from your regular doctor, a physical therapist, chiropractor, or nonsurgical orthopedic doctor.
GA Injury Advocates
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