GOOGLE SCREENEDQuestion:
“I was recently involved in a minor car accident in Virginia Beach. While waiting at a stop light, I was rear-ended by a driver who was distracted by his cell phone. Luckily he wasn’t going extremely fast, but I still got quite a jolt from the impact. Our cars were still driveable, so we just exchanged insurance information, got a police report, and went on our way. But a day or so after the accident I started having neck and back pain, so I went to see my doctor. He sent me for a lot of tests, and ultimately we decided that I needed to start treatment with a physical therapist. I’ve made 12 of the recommended 30 visits, but I feel fine now. Can I stop going to treatment?”
Answer:
You must always follow your Doctor’s advice. For clients who were hit in a minor car accident, completing the full recommended medical treatment can be time consuming. If you’re feeling better, it’s tempting to stop treatment even if you haven’t finished everything your primary care doctor recommended. But doctor’s develop treatment plans for a reason. If you stop treatment early, it could have lasting effects on your recovery, including recurring pain.
If you end up with a personal injury claim related to the accident, you’ll need to be able to prove that you did everything your doctor recommended. That includes making your office visits, following up on referrals for treatment with Chiropractors, physical therapists, or other specialists. It also includes all the testing your doctors recommend. XRays, MRIs and CT Scans can be expensive and time consuming, but if your doctor recommends them based on her clinical judgment, you should follow that advice.
Even a minor car accident can have lasting injuries, so following your doctor’s orders is always the best advice.
