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Unfortunately, many people can relate to having been involved in a motor vehicle collision (MVC) at some point in their lives. Whether it was a major accident or a minor one, MVC’s are no fun and can cause a variety of minor to serious injuries to those persons in the vehicles. With more distracted drivers’ texting and speaking on their phones, MVC’s are on the rise, making for much more dangerous roadways.

While we cannot control other people’s behaviors, we can certainly drive more cautiously and defensively to hopefully avoid being in a car accident. Unfortunately, MVC’s do happen despite our best efforts, so being prepared and having a plan in mind is key to recovering quickly and getting back on our feet again. The financial implications of a MVC, as well as the interruption of your daily routine due to injuries sustained are also major detriments that may take years to recover from.

Does a person get injured in a car accident when the car sustains no damage? Unfortunately the auto insurance industry, would of course say absolutely not. They would say that since the car is visibly intact, there is no way your body could have sustained an injury. This is simply a generalization, but it is our experience that auto insurers try to avoid paying on a claim because there is little to no damage to the car.

These types of cases are extremely difficult to fight, and sadly leave many victims by the wayside to deal with the burden and suffering of permanent injuries. It is estimated that over 300,000 people each year suffer from debilitating pain from auto accident injuries. These injuries lead to disability and years of pain just because you are not able to get the appropriate care after your accident.

Even “small” car collisions where there are no visible signs of damage to the vehicle can generate enough g-force, or force of gravity, to damage the delicate anatomical structures of the head, neck and spine. In fact, while a jet plane exerts about 9 g’s of velocity change on your spine, a 36 mile per hour collision exerts over 10 g’s while a 6 mile per hour collision exerts over 13 g’s.

This is caused by a change in velocity (moving objects abruptly colliding and stopping) combined with the vehicle’s “crush” factor. Newer model vehicles are designed to leave occupants “room to live.” This is accomplished by the front and rear of the vehicles crushing and absorbing the force of the collision. At 6 miles per hour, the vehicles involved in the accident do not crush. As a result, the force goes through the human occupant.

Who Pays For Medical Treatment After An Accident?

• The State of Florida is a “No Fault” state which means your Auto Insurance pays for any injuries sustained by your or any passengers in an Auto Accident regardless of who was at fault. For this reason each driver is required to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) car insurance.
• The State of Florida has strict rules that must be adhered to when filing a Personal Injury Protection (PIP) claim. The most important of these rules requires that any treatment for these related injuries must occur within 14 Days of the date of the accident. Seeking medical coverage means receiving services from a licensed medical provider for a condition that resulted from a Motor Vehicle Accident and includes the following medical providers: Physicians (M.D./D.O.), Chiropractors, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Registered Nurses, Dentists and Emergency Medical Services (Paramedics and Ambulatory Transportation). Unfortunately, once that 2 week period is up, your claim will not be accepted and you will not be eligible for any PIP reimbursement.
• All medical treatments including medications following an Accident are covered by your auto insurance and there will be NO out of pocket expense for the patient. It is important to note that in a majority of the cases, Primary Care Physicians are not set up to bill auto insurance companies or render Medical Treatments necessary for injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents or slip and falls. Unfortunately, the patient would be paying out of pocket for any Primary Care visits.

Ironically, ER doctors will tell a patient injured in an auto accident that he or she is okay, typically meaning that there was no fracture or gross dislocation to the spine. However, they are not taking into account the soft tissue structures (muscle, tendon, ligament, disc, nerve) or overall structure of the spine. In many cases, problems associated with these injuries may remain dormant for days or even weeks before they manifest, especially in low speed car collisions.

Treatment for injuries can be covered by your Auto Insurance policy, or in the absence of coverage, our offices can discuss your rights and options. Our team of skilled physicians has served thousands of patients who have been injured from auto accidents. Call or email NOW to schedule a consultation with our team.