What Kind of Doctor do I Need After a Louisville Car Crash?

Short Answer: One you like and trust.

Long Answer: After a car crash you have the option to go to the hospital.  My estimation is more than half of people do go to the hospital.

If your injuries are life threatening you will most likely be taken to the University of Louisville Hospital (kids will go to Norton Children). If your injuries are not life threatening Norton, Jewish, Baptist East, and the other local hospitals will usually evaluate you and make sure nothing is broken.  Assuming nothing requires overnight stay/surgery the hospital will release you and instruct you to follow up with your primary care physician.

PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN

Here is where you can run into a problem.  A lot of primary care physicians don’t want to deal with car crash cases.  For one, they don’t know how to get their bill paid.  The second hold up is that they don’t want to potentially be involved in litigation (aka stopping their practice to provide depositions to lawyers).

I was in a car crash in December of 2018.  I called my primary care physician after going to the hospital and they tried to refer me to occupational therapy in Middletown. I’m not driving 20 minutes to Middletown for physical therapy appointments.  Let me recap: My primary care physician WOULD NOT see me after my car crash (defense lawyers like to make a big deal about this at trial).  The experience was frustrating, but nobody is going to tell a primary care physician what they have to do.  And nobody should.

That said, if your primary care physician will see you then make an appointment.  They will most likely refer you to chiropractic, physical therapy, or another specialist that deals with car crashes on a daily basis.

DOCTOR, CHIROPRACTOR, PHYSICAL THERAPIST

If your primary care physician will not see you there are other options.  There are doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, and other professionals that focus on car crash treatment.  These medical professionals deal day in and day out with car crash victims.  As a result, they develop expertise.  It’s the same thinking behind why you hire someone that only does car crash cases as your lawyer.  I don’t want a doctor that occasionally treats a car crash victim.  My preference is someone doing it on a daily basis.

So how do you determine which facility to use.  Find a provider that is close to where you live or work.  Make it convenient for you to make appointments.  I see about two to four visits per week on average for my clients depending on the injury.  If treatment isn’t consistent than an insurance company will jump down your lawyer’s throat for a “delay in treatment” (even if you had a good reason like having to work!).  If they do it will “de-value” your case.

TYPE OF INJURY

It is also important to consider the injuries as related to the crash.  Do you think your rotator cuff is torn? Go see an orthopedic surgeon.  Do you have issues with your back and neck? A chiropractor goes to school for four years to fix those issues.  Is your head really hurting? Time for a neurologist.  You also have the option to see multiple medical providers.  Your chiropractor may send you for an MRI or an orthopedic surgeon may send you to pain management.

You can also ask your lawyer for options.  He or she won’t recommend a place that doesn’t know what they are doing and your lawyer can walk you thorough this whole process.

I am happy to answer any questions and my email is bdettman@dettmanlawgroup.com
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