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Can My Regular Doctor See Me After a Car Crash?

October 18, 2019

After being involved in a car accident, it is only normal to think of your primary care physician for medical treatment. However, many physicians will not see their patients after they have been in a car accident. This is because family practitioners bill medical insurance companies and not auto insurance companies. If you or someone you know was involved in an automobile accident, you have options.

What is Third Party Billing?

Third party billing is when your primary care physician bills the auto insurance company or another third party. In many instances, your primary care physician will not see you after a car accident because of all the extra work car accident injuries bring. After being involved in a car accident your primary care physician may be bombarded with extra paperwork, phone calls, and additional billing. Primary care doctors normally will not file third party claims because they do not know how much they will be paid for the services provided to the patient.

When Will my Primary Care Physician See Me?

If you go to your primary care physician after being involved in a car accident, the only way you can be seen is if you pay up front. Most times, this means paying out of pocket for treatment for your injuries. Car accidents may cause injuries including whiplash, neck pain, back pain, tingling in the limbs, and headaches. Primary care physicians normally will not treat soft tissue injuries. Soft tissue injuries need special documentation because these types of injuries do not show up on x-rays.

Letter of Protection

A Letter of Protection (LOP) is an agreement between you, your lawyer, and your doctor that states that your medical expenses will be paid at a future date. In circumstances where a patient has an LOP, their primary care physician may hold their bills until their case settles and agrees to be paid out of that settlement. However, having an LOP does not always guarantee that your primary care physician will see you; other than emergency room doctors, primary care physicians are not legally obligated to see you.

West Chester Car Accident Lawyers at Eckell Sparks Help Injured Clients Obtain Compensation.

Filing a claim after a car accident can be a long and stressful process, but the right lawyer can help you through the process step by step. Contact a West Chester car accident lawyer at Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander, P.C. today. Our experienced lawyers will fight to obtain the compensation you deserve for your injuries. For a free consultation, contact us online or call us at 610-565-3701. Located in Media and West Chester, Pennsylvania, we proudly serve clients throughout Delaware County, Chester County, and Montgomery County.