Finding a doctor after a car accident is important. If there is one thing you should never delay after a car accident, it is to get medical treatment. But finding a car accident doctor can be a time consuming and frustrating task.
It is quite common to feel just fine immediately after an accident and then feel pain later. The reason for this is that the elevated levels of adrenaline pumping through your bloodstream mask the pain or injury. When the adrenaline subsides to normal levels, you may then start feeling pain from your injuries. At that point, finding a doctor to look at whatever hurts is absolutely crucial, and can save you from chronic pain later on in life.
If you have pain, discomfort, soreness, or muscle tightness, see a doctor after a car accident as soon as possible.
The top injury attorneys at Phoenix Accident and Injury Law Firm near you have more than 15 years of experience in helping clients with finding a doctor after a car accident. Our offices are conveniently located in nearby Chandler, Peoria, and North Phoenix, and we can meet in-person or over the phone or video call. You can contact us for a free consultation, or read on to find out more.
By the way, we will also help with other problems that have cost you sleep, like getting a rental car very soon and finding a nearby doctor who can help you. Even the best legal team isn’t good enough if your quality of life isn’t sustainable while justice and compensation are on the way. The whole point of legal action is to regain quality of life, so we help you long-term as attorneys and short-term as your go-to people.
Emergency Rooms and Urgent Care Centers: The Crucial Role of A Doctor After A Car Accident
First, if you need emergency treatment, you may be transported by ambulance to the nearest hospital or urgent care center. You may also be admitted to an extended hospital stay if your injuries are serious.
Emergency rooms are the best place for treating severe and life-threatening conditions. They’re open 24 hours, seven days a week and offer specialized care and diagnostic tests. In an ER, you can expect to receive immediate laboratory testing, advanced imaging, urgent surgery, or extended stays if your condition necessitates this. However, treatment at the ER can be quite expensive.
A less expensive but less comprehensive alternative is an urgent care center. These centers are clinics that don’t require appointments. They treat injuries serious enough to require immediate medical attention but not serious enough to require hospitalization. These are ideal if you are not able to see your primary care doctor. For example, if your accident happened in the evening after normal business hours, or on the weekend, (when you would have the most trouble finding a doctor) you could go straight to an urgent care center.
Who to See First: Primary Care Physician vs Specialist
If you don’t need emergency medical treatment, you can skip the emergency room or urgent care clinics and see a regular doctor after a car accident.
Should you see your family doctor or go straight to a specialist? Finding a car accident doctor who is a specialist can be a time consuming and frustrating process if you don’t know how to navigate the process.
The answer is you should see your family doctor first and allow him to make a referral. Knowing your medical history more than any other doctor, your primary care physician is the best person to make an assessment and select the right specialist for you.
It also shows insurance companies that you went through the appropriate channels to find a specialist. Surprisingly, this does factor into how much they will reimburse you for your claim.
Once you get a referral to a specialist, you can continue seeing that specialist throughout your treatment plan.
Does the Doctor Accept Your Insurance?
Before going to a doctor, make sure his office accepts your health insurance plan. You can search online and visit your doctor’s website to see which insurance companies they work with. You may also give them a quick call and ask whether they accept your insurance. Many people overlook this crucial step when finding a doctor, and find out too late that their particular doctor doesn’t take their insurance.
It also wouldn’t hurt to confirm with your own health insurance company that they will indeed cover your doctor visit.
As far as seeing a specialist, once you get a referral from your family doctor, he may or may not necessarily be covered by your health insurance plan. Your doctor won’t know which specialists are in your health insurance network, so it is your responsibility to call and check with the specialist’s office ahead of time.
Many health insurance websites offer “finding a doctor” services online, through which you can search for a specialist in your area that is within your network. Once you find a doctor after a car accident, you can ask your family doctor to “officially” refer you to that specialist.
Find a Doctor After a Car Accident Near Your Home
We can help you with finding a doctor after a car accident who is close to your home to attend to your treatment and medical care. Click on the town nearest you and scroll down to the list of doctors in your neighborhood:
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Mesa
- Gilbert
We also have access to world-class medical centers and state-of-the-art hospitals. Below is a list of top-rated hospitals in Phoenix:
Mayo Clinic Arizona Campus
5777 East Mayo Boulevard
Phoenix, AZ 85054-4502
(480) 515–6296
Banner University Medical Center Phoenix
1111 East McDowell Road
Phoenix, AZ 85006-2666
(602) 239–2000
St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center
350 West Thomas Road
Phoenix, AZ 85013-4496
(602) 406–3000
Banner Estrella Medical Center
9201 West Thomas Road
Phoenix, AZ 85037-3332
(623) 327–4000
At Phoenix Accident and Injury Law Firm near you, we have more than 15 years of experience helping clients with finding a doctor after a car accident near them. When you’re ready to talk, please contact our office to arrange a free initial consultation by phone or at our Chandler office, conveniently located in your area.
If you need medical treatment or a doctor after a car accident contact Phoenix Accident and Injury Law Firm near you in nearby Chandler, AZ to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. We provide personal injury legal services to clients in your area including Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Peoria.
