Visiting a family physician seems the most comfortable option when injured. You get hurt, see your doctor and start feeling better after undergoing the treatment. However, this might be an incorrect thing to do if you have suffered an injury due to an auto accident. And the reasons are not always related to your health. You need to visit a car accident doctor not only for a faster recovery, but also for a smoother insurance processing. Here are the details you need to know:
Family Physicians May Lack Documentation Experience
You may have a great understanding with your doctor, but does your family physician have enough understanding of the documentation process? Maybe not.
A doctor specialized in car accident injuries doesn’t only have the knowledge about the treatment, but also knows how to document for the injuries sustained to help you file a personal injury claim. With proper documentation, you’ll also be able to bill the insurance company of the driver who is at fault. It’s extremely important to document all your injuries, minor or major, precisely. Accurate documentation implies medical prescriptions, bills, statements, photographs, diagnostic reports and proof of timely treatment.
Family Doctors May Not Be Able to Identify Internal or Hidden Injuries
Many car crash injury symptoms surface weeks after the incident. That is one of the reasons why a general physician might not be able to diagnose any hidden injury. A car accident doctor, on the other hand, will know what to look for. Even if there are no apparent symptoms, he will be extra careful to look for injuries that might show up later on.
General Physicians Are Unfamiliar With the Legal Process
A general physician is generally not aware of the litigation process associated with auto accident injuries. Many a times, cases pertaining to road rashes are impossible to settle without appointing an attorney. Your family doctor may even be asked to testify in a court of law. A general physician who is more used to treating stomach aches, cough and cold, fever or sprained ankles will naturally feel uncomfortable testifying in an open court. He may not be able to answer the difficult questions of an attorney and make your case weak. Besides, the entire litigation process will prove time consuming and annoying for your family doctor. He will not be able to attend his usual patients, which in turn, would affect his income. In fact, don’t be surprised if you doctor passes over the case to a specialized expert who is familiar not only with the treatments, but also with the ins and outs of the legal process.
Family Physicians Are Not Used to Billing an Auto Insurance Firm
Your family doctor is good at billing a health insurance company because that is what he is generally required to do. However, his office may not be familiar with the process of billing an auto insurance provider. This may not look like a major problem but there are several rules, guidelines, forms, limits, stipulations and co-pays related with the billing process of auto insurance firms. This may be too much of a hassle for his office to undertake. And even if it does, you can’t be certain that they have done it efficiently. With the office of a car crash injury expert, you can be sure that all the rules have been followed, because they are specialized in the field.
Visiting a car accident doctor is better than visiting your family physician when you sustain a car crash. It is beneficial not only to you but also to our doctor. There won’t be any disappointments or complaints. This little step can go a long way in building your personal injury claim and in preserving the camaraderie between you and your doctor.
