Why Go to a Car Accident Clinic Rather than a General Practitioner

Conventional wisdom says that if a car accident is serious enough to cause any damage to your car, it has likely caused damage to your body as well. Even if there is nothing serious enough to warrant care from the first responders, you should always seek medical care after an accident. You may be tempted to go to your general practitioner, but it is usually a better option to skip this step and go directly to the specialists at a car accident clinic. Not only are car accident doctors experts in the kind of injuries you may have, but they are prepared to work with your insurance company to make sure you are covered properly.

Specialized Care for Car Accident Injuries

Many people don’t know who to see after an accident. General practitioners have an excellent understanding of the body as a whole, and if you visit after a car accident, they will likely be able to find any obvious injuries. However, many common car accident injuries do not appear immediately or can be tricky to diagnose, and a general practitioner may not be able to spot these signs. Even if they suspect a problem, they are likely to refer you out to a specialist for care, creating another step for you in the process.

In some cases, a general practitioner will actually not be willing to see you after a car accident. These doctors may know that they are not trained to spot hidden injuries and that you will ultimately need to visit a car accident clinic and rather than book an appointment, they will ask you to seek other care first. Your doctor will want you to receive the best care possible and may know that their office is not the place for that.

Car accident clinics also offer the benefit of multiple types of care in one location. Often they are able to perform diagnostic scans, use non-invasive techniques like chiropractic care or physical therapy, and provide access to surgeons and other specialists in an integrated manner. Rather than visiting a variety of offices, a car accident clinic allows you to address all elements of your injuries holistically.

Documentation and Insurance

Even if your general practitioner is willing to treat you for minor injuries and is able to provide treatment, there are other reasons to see a car accident clinic. Because this is what they do all day, the car accident doctors have special skills related to paperwork and the logistics of your accident that can be beneficial.

Insurance claims typically require documentation that is far more extensive than the notes a primary physician will take. Even if you transfer to a car accident clinic later, it can mean a gap in your care timeline that proves problematic. You will want to have a timeline that shows the progression of your injury from start to finish, including as much information to tie it to your accident as possible. Car accident clinics keep extensive records that can provide this information and later tie it to your claim or litigation.

Additionally, the billing process for car insurance companies may differ from that of medical insurance companies. With a car accident clinic, the staff will be familiar with this process, avoiding any confusion or unnecessary out-of-pocket costs.

Benefits of Car Accident Clinics

The treatment for your injuries should always be specific to the events of your accident and your medical history. With this in mind, a car accident clinic will create customized plans to meet your needs. They also focus on a full recovery from your injury, even if your injury is hidden, using natural methods whenever possible.

Any doctor will want you to recover, but when a general practitioner isn’t sure of the best way to address an injury, you may end up relying on medication and pain management rather than focusing on long-term pain relief. Car accident clinics will first turn to tools like chiropractic care to reduce scar tissue, heal the root cause of your injury, and relieve pain in the long term. However, their familiarity with these injuries means that if more serious care is needed, you are able to move towards that treatment quickly.

As soon as you have suffered an accident, contact a car accident clinic like Fox Integrated Health to schedule your first appointment and avoid any roadblocks to a complete recovery.