What Type of Doctor Should I See After a Car Accident?
In the aftermath of a car accident, the injuries you sustain and the confusion you feel may make it hard to figure out what to do next. You may be wondering which type of doctor you should see to have your injuries checked out.
When your injuries are severe, you will need to seek immediate medical treatment. Other injuries might not be life threatening but will require expert medical care. In these instances, you will likely need chiropractic care, physical therapy, and interventional pain management. You may also need to see a neurologist or a neurosurgeon.
It’s important that you clearly document your case, even if you don’t think you’re injured. Many times, those strains and sprains or even internal bleeding may not have any signs until later. This is why you should never skip having a medical evaluation following a car accident.
Treat Severe Injuries Immediately
After your car accident, if you are severely injured, you will likely need to go to the emergency room. The police that respond may even call an ambulance to the scene, but if you realize you are hurt before they arrive, you can call for emergency medical care.
If you are having trouble breathing normally, are bleeding excessively, keep losing consciousness, feel dizzy and nauseous, or you’re in severe pain, these are all signs that you should be taken to an emergency room for care.
Should I See a Specialist?
Whether in the emergency room or other medical facility, you may be referred to a specialist for treatment. These types of doctors have expertise in more specified areas, such as an orthopedic doctor or a physical therapist. You’ll likely be referred to them after a car accident if you have back pain. For migraines, imbalance, confusion, or vertigo, which are all common after head injuries, you may benefit from seeing a neurologist.
These specialists perform additional examinations to help rule out other medical problems. In this way, they can help treat your injuries. They will also document those injuries, which can be useful when filing a claim for your car accident.
Which Doctors Treat Injuries from Car Accidents?
There are different kinds of doctors and specialists that have the skills to treat car crash injuries. Multiple medical fields are involved in these treatments to help you recover.
Emergency Room Physicians
Doctors in the emergency room specialize in saving lives. They treat life-threatening injuries with urgency and the utmost care.
Radiologists
If you are rushed to the hospital, they will likely run you through MRIs, CAT scans, and X-rays to check things out internally. Radiologists can be instrumental in these scenarios, helping the other specialists remedy your situation.
Trauma Surgeons
For severe injuries in the hospital, trauma surgeons may be called in to perform surgery for critical injuries. Broken bones, internal injuries, and burns that occur in car accidents may be so extreme that these specialized doctors must intervene to save your life.
Burn Specialists
For those that suffer burns and are brought to the emergency room, burn specialists are instrumental in their care. Their extensive training in trauma and critical injuries makes them an integral part of treating car accident injuries.
General Surgeons
At the hospital, a general surgeon may operate on you. The surgical team in the ER is trained to quickly get to work on patients involved in car crashes to get them stabilized.
Personal Injury Specialists
Personal injury specialists focus on treating the kind of injuries that happen in car accidents. They design a recovery plan to help you get back on your feet.
Pain Management Doctors
If you have back pain, migraines, or any other type of pain, you will need to see doctors that specialize in pain management. These doctors are usually seen on an outpatient basis, and they usually combine treatments using medication and procedures to relieve your pain.
Orthopedic Surgeons
You may need to see an orthopedic surgeon to repair any broken bones or injuries to muscles and tendons. Orthopedic surgeons are commonly seen by car accident victims as they help reduce pain and restore function through surgery.
Neurologists
If you have a spinal cord injury or any nerve injuries from your car accident, you’ll need a neurologist. They begin treatments immediately when you have symptoms like tingling, weakness, and numbness. Seeing a neurologist will help prevent these types of injuries from becoming more severe.
Physical Therapists
After seeing many of the specialists listed above, you may need to see a physical therapist. These doctors are trained to help people regain mobility, balance, and flexibility.
Why It’s Important to See a Doctor That Specializes in the Care of Car Accident Victims
When you’re in a car accident, finding the right doctor to treat your injuries is imperative. Whether you are taken to the emergency room or not, you may have a long road to recovery ahead of you. Seeing a doctor that specializes in treating car accident victims means they will be better able to treat you than regular doctors.
Icon Medical Centers LLC recommends seeing a team of expert medical professionals devoted to your recovery. They should also be able to help you with your insurance claims to make the process easier on you. This way, you will be able to focus on your recovery.
A treatment center like this specializes in things like orthopedic care, pain management, and physical therapy. If you need a neurologist or neurosurgeon, they can help you too, with services all devoted specifically to treat those who have been hurt in a car crash.
It’s always a challenge to get back to your life after a major car accident. By seeking the right doctor for your treatments, you’ll be able to get there more easily.
