You’re standing on the side of the road. Your rear bumper is smashed and the car that unexpectedly hit you is steaming and leaking coolant onto the pavement as you exchange info with the 19-year-old that just hit you in stop and go traffic on your way to work. You’re still in shock and your adrenaline is making you shake as a million things swirl through your mind… What do I do about my car? Should I go to work or call in? Do I have to pay a deductible to fix my car?
Your health and well-being only comes to mind later… as you calm down you notice your head hurts. Specifically, a dull ache at the base and temples. Then, your neck feels tight and starts to become sore. Am I hurt or will it go away?
Later that night you toss and turn. Your head is tender just lying on your pillow and you can’t get your neck comfortable. Now you begin to notice sharp pains when you move. You decide you should probably go see a doctor to get checked. What kind of doctor should I see after a car accident? My primary care? An urgent care? A chiropractor?
What Kind of Doctor Should I See After a Car Accident
This is a common dilemma. What doctor to see after an auto accident?
Here are some pros and cons of your choices after an accident:
Primary Care Physician
Pros: Your family doctor knows you and they seem competent. You’ll just have to pay a co-pay.
Cons: You remember it can take several days or weeks to get an appointment. To be honest most PCP’s don’t want to see an accident case. To be specific, they don’t like getting involved. Moreover, another con is the fact that family doctors are not well trained in car accident injuries and will most likely just prescribe dangerous drugs, not the most effective type of treatment for whiplash.
Emergency Room
Pros: Extensive facilities to evaluate your injuries. They see car accident victims all day.
Cons: Do you have several hours to spare? Long wait times are the hallmark of today’s emergency departments. At the end of the day, the treatment will be the same as your PCP, namely medications and a referral to go see your PCP if the problem persists for a week.
Urgent Care
Pros: Convenient, you can just walk-in and pay a co-pay. Obviously, if it’s later in the evening, they may be the only place open.
Cons: You will probably be seen by a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant. Whereas, each are trained to deal with coughs, flu and high blood pressure, but not so well trained in orthopedic or neurologic injuries. Therefore, treatment will most likely be drugs.
Chiropractor Near You
Pros: Chiropractors are well trained in neck and back problems. You can usually get an appointment within a day or two. They may be covered by your insurance with only a co-pay.
Cons: A general chiropractor may or may not deal with many car accident cases. They may handle a whiplash injury the same as a common sore neck from gardening or exercise. They may provide care that is frowned upon by auto insurance companies.
To illustrate, these are the pros and cons of the most common choices accident victims have after a car wreck. But there is another choice however that most people have no clue about. A type of doctor you will probably agree makes the most sense.
Car Accident Chiropractor Specialist
Pros: A chiropractor understands the spine, but one that has additional training in auto accident whiplash injuries is even better. They know the proper exams and treatments specifically for car accident injuries and can uncover hidden injuries not found by other doctors. Because they specialize in car accidents they know getting in right away is important so they have hours and policies to make access easy. Also, you don’t have to worry about insurance or co-pays with a car accident doctor. Because they will often not ask you to pay up front, out of pocket.
Cons: Less than 10% of chiropractors can actually say they are car accident specialists. Most chiropractors are generalists or family practitioners treating a little of everything. There are also numerous “Sports Injury” specialists to choose from, but a sports doc is not the same as a personal injury car accident specialist.
After a Car Accident Your Best Choice is a Car Accident Chiropractor Specialist
Dr Barry Marks Chiropractor and Car Accident Doctor
- Doctor of Chiropractic since 1986
- Post-doctorate specialty training in Orthopedics 1986-1989
- Former Associate Clinical Professor
- Post-doctorate specialty training in Whiplash and Brain injury
- Post-doctorate specialty training in Disability and Impairment Rating
- Specialty post-doctorate training in MRI interpretation
Importantly, Dr. Marks is one of Orange County’s most credentialed and experienced car accident experts. In addition, he has successfully managed thousands of auto accident cases from simple fender benders to complicated cases involving multiple surgeries. Unquestionably, your injuries will be carefully examined and properly diagnosed to arrive at the best treatment to resolve your auto injuries.