The 5-Things You Need To Do Immediately After Being Involved In A Car Accident

1. Immediately attend to your injuries.

A quick visit to the Emergency Room is a smart idea, especially if you are certain if you’ve been involved in a car accident and you are hurt.  Your health is numero uno!

secondly (and sadly), your auto insurance company spends a lot of money convincing us all that they’re like, “a good neighbor and on your side,” but when you get in an accident, that couldn’t be further from the truth!

Insurance companies are in business to make money (translate “profits”) off of your monthly payments.  If they have to pay out for your healthcare (which is technically your money anyway), their CEO’s don’t get to drive Ferraris to work.

You must protect your ability to get the care your need and deserve (because you’ve already paid for it).

A quick trip to the emergency room, is a smart way of documenting proof that you’ve been injured.  Just make sure the doctor documents that you’ve been in a motor vehicle crash and that their notes reflect ALL the areas of your body that you are feeling pain.

Don’t worry about the bills.  Your auto insurance or the person that hit you will have insurance that will cover the costs since it falls under your/their personal injury protection (also known as med-pay or PIP) and in most states, it’s the law to carry it!

Having documented proof of your injuries will avoid being bullied by your insurance company, that incentivizes their claims adjusters to withhold your medical payouts.

If this is the first time you’re hearing about this, we’re sorry to burst your bubble, but it’s absolutely true – don’t be fooled.

 

2. Report any accident to the police and your insurance company.

 

If you didn’t already contact the police to arrive on-scene of your accident (which by the way is a smart idea if you’re not at fault), then you should at least make sure to file a report.  Just call them or go online to your local authority website to do so.

This will help to substantiate that your accident was real, thereby giving it credibility.

Next, you’ll want to contact your auto insurance company and report your accident.  Make certain not to speak casually and say that, “you’re doing o.k.”  Your call is likely being recorded and saying that could be used against you when it serves them.  

It’s best to clearly identify that you are hurting “all over” and you’d like to see a “doctor.” (Us chiropractors are doctors too, but it’s best to keep it general).

 

3.  Schedule a chiropractic exam within 24 hours of your injury.

 

Without proper, timely treatment, relatively minor injuries can develop into serious long-term problems or even disabilities.

Although we’re a little biased (since we’re all chiropractors over here), chiropractors are your best bet for getting you well again and assuring your insurance rights are managed properly.

There is no substitution for chiropractic and for regaining a healthy aligned spine. Although exercises, eating right and reducing exacerbating activities all help, chiropractic adjustments are necessary to regain lost curves and spinal alignment.

Just like plumbers, painters, and coffee baristas, not all chiropractors are the best. That’s why there’s a “best” listing for you compiled for you buy us!  We think we know chiropractors, because we are chiropractors.  Click this link to search our favorites in your area  –>  Our Recommended Chiropractors near you.

 

4.  Get an injury assessment by a health care professional (such as a chiropractor) before signing anything.

 

It’s not uncommon for injuries to go unnoticed shortly after a car accident.  Your adrenaline is high and your emotions are tested – it’s very stressful!

Too many of our patients make the mistake of downplaying their injuries or worse telling the insurance company they are, “o.k,” only to discover a week later they are now getting regular headaches!

It’s appealing to follow the lead of your insurance adjuster, but that could likely be a very costly mistake, both for your health and for any potential cash settlement well deserved down the road.

Any of the chiropractors listed on our site know exactly how to do this properly.  Just contact their office, tell them you’ve been in an accident and get in as soon as you can.  They’ll take care of the rest for you.

Click this link to search our favorites in your area  –>  Our Recommended Chiropractors near you.

5.  Don’t worry about money!

Insurance companies have done an amazing job of duping the public with untruths and propaganda to believe that our heightened insurance rates are as a result of the ever-increasing amount of dishonest people filing claims for unnecessary medical injuries.

Everyone of the chiropractors writing this blog for you have experienced a justifiably injured patient wanting to, “take one for the team” and suffer long term health consequences because they “believe” they are “taking the high road,” by not contributing to the phony problem the insurance company marketing teams have propagandized.

So let’s be clear – our insurance rates are not inflated because of what your insurance company wants you to believe.  Rates are high simply because of . . .(wait for it). . . increasing their profitability!

Don’t believe us?  Here’s some facts that you may find both interesting and disturbing… We’ll let you decide.

Salaries of CEO’s of auto insurance companies:

 

Edward M Liddy is the CEO of Allstate = 17.79 Million Dollars per year.
(http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/12/G0YE.html)

Glenn M Renwick is the CEO of Progressive = 8.14 Million Dollars per year. (http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/12/SF4K.html)

Jay S Fishman is the CEO of St Paul Travelers = 5.47 Million Dollars per year.
(http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/12/1VTM.html)

 

Do you still feel badly about getting the care you need,

rightfully deserve and have already paid for?!

 

Your auto insurance covers 100{448cc73cb769ff13f6ab9d512392684ba59545ec59e2647a629cc0e08b47fa92} of the cost of your care without any up front costs (in most cases). 

And, your auto insurance rates cannot go up for a med-pay claim – that’s against the law! 

We recommend to our patients, that you should consider your auto insurance like your bank.  You pay into it every month, but the only way you can withdraw your money, is if you’ve been in a legitimate car accident, have documented injuries and your auto insurance company decides to give it to you.

It’s your right to get the care you deserve and need.

If you’ve been in an auto accident, have received care and your auto insurance is not playing fair, perhaps it’s time to get some muscle behind you!  Attorneys that specialize in auto accidents have a way of making the auto insurance companies suddenly give you what you deserve.  Best part?  They don’t cost you a dime!  All of our attorneys listed on this site only keep a percentage of what they would get you in a cash settlement for restitution for your injuries, pain and suffering.