Should I Go to Urgent Care After a Car Accident?
Seeking medical assistance is essential after a car accident, even if you initially may not believe you have suffered severe injuries or significant harm. However, the thought of enduring a long wait in an emergency room may feel unnecessarily disruptive to your already busy day. As an alternative to the emergency room, visiting an urgent care center immediately after an accident might be a more appealing option.
Determining When You Need to Go to Urgent Care After a Car Accident
Consider urgent care if you experience:
- Mild pain, stiffness, or tenderness
- Minor cuts or bruises
- Mild neck or back discomfort
- No immediate symptoms, but you want a full exam to be safe
However, when you have significant pain, loss of consciousness, visible deformities, or breathing difficulties, you should call an ambulance or go to the emergency room immediately.
The Importance of Medical Evaluation After a Car Accident
Even seemingly minor car accidents can exert tremendous force on the human body, and the resulting injuries can be surprisingly significant. However, the effects of accident-induced adrenaline can mask the pain you might otherwise feel after suffering car accident injuries.
In the hours and days following a collision, you might not notice that you have suffered any injuries at all until your condition gradually worsens. Seeking early evaluation and treatment from a medical professional is crucial to diagnose any injuries, to optimize your prognosis, and to document your condition.
Furthermore, when you see a medical professional as soon as possible after a crash, they can document a connection between the timing of the accident and the occurrence of your injuries in your medical records. Evidence of this link is crucial for your compensation claim. If you wait too long to seek treatment, the at-fault party’s insurance company will likely argue that your injuries resulted from something other than the crash. Florida PIP Laws also require you to seek medical care within 14 days of an accident in order to be eligible for the full $10,000.00 in P.I.P. benefits.
How Visiting Urgent Care Can Impact Your Car Accident Claim
Visiting an urgent care for car accident injuries can give you the immediate medical attention you need and provide helpful documentation for your insurance claim. However, it is worth noting that some insurers view urgent care visits as a less serious medical intervention than going to the ER. Insurance companies may question the severity of your injuries if you did not require an ambulance or if you did not seek medical attention at the emergency room. As such, if you are on the fence about which facility to visit, the ER might be a better option.
Common Injuries That Require Urgent Care After a Car Crash
Some less severe auto accident injuries can be effectively treated at an urgent care center, including:
- Mild whiplash – Neck pain and stiffness from the sudden impact
- Sprains and strains – Soft tissue injuries to muscles and ligaments
- Minor cuts and bruises – Surface-level wounds that need cleaning and dressing
- Mild concussions – Head injuries without severe symptoms
For more serious injuries like broken bones, internal bleeding, or severe head trauma, it’s best to go directly to the emergency room for immediate, specialized medical care.
Get Help from Our South Florida Car Accident Lawyer Now
When you need guidance regarding medical treatment, including when and where to address your injuries after an accident, call an experienced car accident Lawyer at Rosen & Ohr, P.A. today.
Whether you go to urgent care, the ER, a chiropractor, or your primary care doctor, medical bills from car accident injuries can be costly. At Rosen & Ohr, P.A., our South Florida car accident attorneys have been helping people recover their medical costs and other expenses through personal injury cases for more than 50 years. We are here to help!
Let us put our skills to work for you. Contact us today for a free consultation.
