There is much to consider when hiring a physician after you have been in an accident. Drucker Law Offices regularly gets questions about how to hire a doctor and which one and in this blog entry I am going to discuss common considerations.
The first primary consideration would deal with getting the physician paid. Thus, does the doctor accept your health insurance or is he or she a contracted provider on your health insurance plan. Please be aware that not all doctors are on every insurance plan. This is important when selecting a doctor’s office.
If not, will the doctor accept a letter of protection. A letter of protection is an agreement where the doctor agrees to forgo collection of the bill for an agreement where the doctor will get paid from the proceeds of the injury settlement, if any. Many doctors accept these agreements but, on the other hand, many do not.
Another important aspect to consider is the proximity to your work or home. In many injuries, a patient is required to go on therapy or to see the doctor on a regular basis and sometimes this may be three or more times per week for a prolonged period of time. Thus, getting a doctor 30 miles away where you have to go 3 times per week is going to make the treatment very difficult to go to. I generally recommend going to a doctor whose office is fairly close to your work or house.
A recommendation from a friend tends to generally be a good basis for going to a doctor. If you have had a friend that has had a positive experience with both their injury and the result of an injury case at a certain doctor’s office, that certainly would be a persuasive basis to go to a physician.
A recommendation from your lawyer also would be a good basis for going to a doctor. The injury lawyer tends to have more information about different doctor offices as the lawyer likely has dealt with the doctor in the past and would have a lot of information in making the recommendation.
Clearly the type of injury will play some part in which doctor you go to. If you are complaining of pain from a broken arm, then you clearly would want to see an orthopedic surgeon, a physician that specializes in bones, muscles, and joints. Similarly, if you are complaining of neck or back pain, you would want to see a chiropractor, an orthopedist, an neurologist, or a neurosurgeon. Someone with a unique foot injury likely would want to see a podiatrist or an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in feet. This is an important to consider when choosing a doctor’s office.
Every case is different and must be judged on its merits. It is a good start to get a complementary consultation regarding an accident case in case this happens to you. The advice contained in this blog is intended to be of general matter and not as to a specific situation, so please call a licensed Florida attorney, like the lawyer at Drucker Law Offices, to determine if and how Florida law applies to your case. (561) 489 – 9199.
