Five Tips for Talking to Your Doctor

Injuries from car accidents are more common than you might think. According to the CDC, more than two million people in the U.S. are injured in automobile collisions annually. If you’re one of them, a doctor’s visit will be an essential part of your road to recovery. Here are some tips for talking to your doctor should you get into an accident.

See Your Doctor as Soon as Possible

When you get into a car accident, there are steps you want to take immediately to ensure your health and safety. The first is to contact emergency services. Then you should get medical treatment. Whether you go by ambulance to the ER or go to your doctor’s office immediately. You should contact an attorney to help you pursue compensation from the at-fault driver if you have been injured in a crash that wasn’t your fault.

While it’s true that any adverse effects from the accident might not show up immediately, getting a doctor to check you out right after the accident is essential. You may have injuries that don’t show up in any obvious ways. A doctor will be able to run tests and order imaging, like X-rays, ultrasounds, and MRIs, that will shed light on how hurt you might actually be.

Be Specific About the Circumstances

Car accidents can create many different types of injuries. Whiplash, as the Mayo Clinic notes, is a neck injury that can be caused by rear-end collisions. Though it might not show up immediately, it can cause long-term complications if it’s not treated. That’s just one example of an injury your doctor is more likely to diagnose when they know the specifics about your accident.

A doctor’s visit is a place to be open, honest, and spare no detail. While you don’t want to exaggerate the symptoms you’re experiencing, it’s important to go through them all. This is true even if you don’t think they’re related to the crash.

Follow Up

It’s possible that days after you see your doctor initially, you’ll experience new symptoms. If that’s the case, make sure that you check in with your doctor and report that. You may be entering a new phase of injuries related to your auto accident, even if your doctor gave you a treatment plan for injuries your initial check-up revealed.

While you might be tempted to see if the symptoms go away on their own, they may not. Depending on what you report, you might have symptoms you merely have to monitor or treat with at-home remedies. But you also may find yourself needing to go back to the doctor — and being glad that you spoke up after all.

Tips for Talking to Your Doctor About X-rays

As we noted on another page of our website, broken bones can be one of the hidden, common results of a car accident. If you suspect such an injury, ask your doctor about it. An X-ray is a simple diagnostic test that will, at most, require you to go to a separate facility and get a few pictures taken. The sooner you know you have a broken bone, the sooner you can get the treatment you need to heal.

Tips for Talking to your Doctor About Pain Management

One of the motivating factors for going to the doctor following a car accident is pain. While you might be able to manage your pain with medicine prescribed by your doctor, you want to be careful about what you’re taking. It’s helpful to review what pain meds you’re going to be taking. That’s particularly important if it’s your first time taking a certain type of pain medication. It’s especially true if you’re being prescribed opioids.

According to the Mayo Clinic, opioids should be used for no more than three days. They’re meant to manage acute pain, like the pain that comes with a broken bone or after surgery.

The Mayo Clinic page about opioid addiction further adds that opioids aren’t your best option for the chronic pain you might be experiencing. The risk of addiction is real and can make your recovery more complicated. For pain caused by car accidents, ask your doctor how physical therapy and stretching at home might help you manage the pain as you try to get back to normal.

Contact Us

If you’ve been in a car accident in Oklahoma City that wasn’t your fault, call the Oklahoma City car accident attorneys of Abel Law Firm at (405) 239-7046. You might be able to get compensation for the injuries you experienced in the accident and for the medical care and time lost from work that might follow. With just a single consultation, you can get started on pursuing the compensation you deserve.