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Each year, nearly 1.6 million vehicular accidents take place in the U.S. When we consider that 750,000 people suffer from a heart attack annually, it puts things into perspective. Many people take driving for granted and they can become careless without really considering how dangerous the roads can be, especially here in Florida.
Critical Steps to Take if You’re Injured in an Auto Accident:
#1 Check to see if you’re injured
If you’re injured in an accident, call 911 or ask another individual to do so on your behalf. If you are seriously injured, try not to move and wait for emergency personnel. Do not admit fault to anyone.
#2 Exchange information
Exchange contact information and share insurance data with the other driver. This includes names, addresses, and phone numbers. Write down the other vehicle’s make, model, and license plate number.
#3 Get Help
File a report with the police by calling local law enforcement to the scene. Request a copy of the police report.
#4 Documentation
Take photos and contact your insurer; if you’re traveling with a smartphone or camera take pictures at the scene. Get shots of the vehicles involved, any damage, and license plates.
#5 Witnesses
If there were any witnesses at the scene, ask for their names, and contact information as well.
#6 Legal Counsel
Consult an attorney. It’s essential to consult an attorney whenever you have an accident.
#7 Get a medical checkup
Get to a medical facility for a post-accident checkup. Remember that you only have 14 days from the date of the accident to have a checkup! Contact Village Medical Injury Care right away to schedule an appointment—Don’t wait!
#8 Keep a Record of your injuries and write down, date any new symptoms
(radiating pain, sleep disturbances, hearing loss). As time goes on, update your physician in writing with every new symptom that you endure.
Additional Key Points:
#9 An injury care specialist should be able to co-manage the patient with primary care and other doctors.
#10 Seeing an injury care specialist isn’t about inflating your settlement; it’s about getting the right care for the patient to recover.
#11 Still, any injury care specialist should be willing and able to work with your attorney (competent specialists will have experience in this area).
#12 It’s important for primary care physicians to have an injury care specialist to which they can refer injured patients; this allows PCP’s to ensure quality care for their patient and can help reduce the PCP’s malpractice liability, especially in the age of opioid addiction. And for PCP’s who are part of an ACO, having an injury care specialist can drastically reduce costs for injured patients. Any PCP without an injury care specialist should establish a referring relationship with one (we are accepting new PCP’s into our network).
#13 It’s REALLY important for patients who are injured in any type of auto-accident, slip and fall, or workman’s comp incident, to see an injury care doctor ASAP after their accident. Many injury symptoms do not appear immediately, and if you wait to see the doctor, insurance may not cover your injury treatment.
Village Medical Injury Care Treats the Following:
• Auto & Vehicular Injuries
• Sports Injuries
• Foot & Ankle Pain
• Disability Evaluations
• Anti-Aging
• Hip & Leg Pain
• Knee Arthritis Pain
• Low Back Pain
• Neck Pain
• Neuropathy
• Numbness & Tingling of the Hands & Feet
• Sciatica
• Shoulder & Arm Pain
• Spinal Stenosis
• And Much More
Village Medical Injury Care
The Village Medical Injury Care board-certified medical physicians and specialists have been providing the necessary medical services for people who have been in auto accidents, slip and fall’s, and workers’ compensation type cases. Their expertise in terms of your health and recovery include the necessary protocol, documentation and follow-up for your recovery plan and optimal health.
Owen D. Fraser, M.D.
General Surgeon
Village Medical Injury Care (“VMIC”) and the Medical Injury Care Provider Network, now serving The Villages®, is under the direction of Owen D. Fraser, M.D. Dr. Fraser has more than 40 years of experience treating and caring for injured patients in the Central Florida area. After attending medical school at the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica, Dr. Fraser went on to complete his residency and general surgery fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center and Harlem Hospital in New York City, New York. He continues to practice in Central Florida, including out of his new flagship clinic in Lady Lake, Florida, where he focuses on personal injury care, medical rehabilitation, and other medical care. VMIC, under Dr. Fraser’s direct supervision, offers state of the art advanced medical therapies to allow for individual medical treatment plans to be developed, guiding our patients toward a timely recovery.
Village Medical Injury Care
Contact them today at 352-775-1234.
510 CR 466, Suite 104B
Lady Lake, FL 32159
www.VillageMedicalInjuryCare.com
