involved in a car accident, not sure whether to seek medical treatment?

Submitted by tubbyneko t3_z3yz2y in newjersey

happy thanksgiving everyone. i was the passenger in a car accident on my way home in union county NJ. basically a lady ran her stop sign and hit the right side of the vehicle i was in where i was the passenger. the cops came asked if anyone was hurt and spoke to the drivers. the issue is it’s been about 2 hours since it happens and i’m now having some slight back pain whenever i turn to my right side that i’m worried is gonna get worse when i wake up tomorrow after sleeping. my questions is should i seek medical treatment and if so do i go to an emergency room or urgent care or a primary doctor? do i need the case number from the accident? this is my first time being in an accident but i’m not sure what all the steps are when you’re injured. i don’t think i have enough money to sue if necessary so i’m not sure how to go about all of this. just want to make sure i don’t have any long term medical issues. thank you everyone and happy thanksgiving.

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Aware_Pool5073 t1_ixochch wrote

Go to an emergency room. Tell them you were in an auto accident. You have a short time period to report it and blame it on the accident. Your insurance will handle it. Don’t risk being in pain the rest of your life.

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tubbyneko OP t1_ixocqnz wrote

how short is the time period? because i’m thinking of going tomorrow, i just really don’t want to ruin the rest of the day even more then it already is. i was in my boyfriends car as a passenger so i guess it goes through his auto insurance? idk how any of this work tbh

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MohnJaddenPowers t1_ixoi5xi wrote

Stop posting on reddit and go now. Don't fuck around with timing on this so the insurance can later deny your claims for ANY reason. Go to the ER, bring a book.

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thirtythr33 t1_ixokkmb wrote

you have an injury and need to make sure it’s not severe. it took some time for the swelling to begin and the pain to start, but that’s fairly normal. if you go tonight they can check you out and take steps that will make you more comfortable and reduce the chance of lasting damage.

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doubtfulisland t1_ixormr0 wrote

Also do not talk to the insurance company call a lawyer. Wait until at least a year to settle. Got to physical therapy if need be for as long as you need. Don't be shy you are the only one that will advocate for you when it comes to your medical well-being. Our bodies are wild and sometimes things settle in weird places or take time to heal or become the new normal. The lawyers won't take any money unless they win.

Sources of experience. I experienced getting cut out of a car in 2017. My now wife is a primary care provider. No one advocates for patients in your own self interest except patients.

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sugarmonkeywife t1_ixov12f wrote

You have time. But if something is happening seek treatment. As long as she has insurance eventually it will be covered through hers once you’ve completed treatment. If he hasn’t already, file the claim online. He has personal injury protection on his policy but it gets more involved from there. Long story short the billing isn’t quick so seek treatment now and don’t sweat it.

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SD-777 t1_ixq115z wrote

Yes it goes through his auto insurance unless you have insurance in your name, if you have your own insurance then that would cover you even if you weren't in your own car. If you were not officially on his policy it would go through as host insurance meaning you have $250k of medical benefits from his policy. If you are officially on the policy then the medical benefits would be whatever the policy states, which has a minimum of $15k. Either way you are fully covered and should go straight away to the ER and let them decide what treatment/studies you need.

Also report the accident to your boyfriend's policy so you have a claim number and can get the process started. The insurance will cover you for any subsequent needed medical care, therapy, studies, and even medications.

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Jake_FromStateFarm27 t1_ixovwrs wrote

>You have a short time period to report it and blame it on the accident.

Actually if you reported no injury or the police reports indicate that you responded with no injury insurance will not cover for it [at least not fully] nor will the person who is responsible for the accident be liable for the damages done to you if you refused medical care or indicated you were not hurt.

Which is why if you are ever in a car accident you should never say you are not injured, you are not a medical professional nor is the officer on site. Always say you are unsure/do not know, a paramedic/first responder can treat and do basic assessments, from there you can chose to have the ambulance take you to the hospital or someone else can from the scene to the ER. The onus of responsibility is then on the responders and the person responsible for the accident, from that point insurance can fully cover those medical costs and damages.

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thebongofamandabynes t1_ixplplx wrote

My guy this is bs. Car was totalled in 2019. Told the cops/sheriff's I wasn't hurt at the time of the accident. The guilty party all went to the hospital. Month later my back was seizing up, found a lawyer and the rest is history. You 100% can tell the EMTs you don't need to go to the hospital/you're not injured at the time of the crash.

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Jake_FromStateFarm27 t1_ixqptb0 wrote

>My guy this is bs

Happened to my roommate and we learned straight from his lawyer so not bs.

>You 100% can tell the EMTs you don't need to go to the hospital/you're not injured at the time of the crash.

Not what I'm saying the important part is telling authorities and the other party you are not injured.

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Rimon07 t1_ixodm83 wrote

For your own safety, you both should go tonight. I was in an accident years ago and waited till the morning and found I couldn't move. Later on found out I had a fracture in my back. Still have issues today but it was scary not to be able to move. As for suing, if that is where you end up, lawyers will take the case, if there is one, and only get paid if you win and money, then they take a third of what you win. If you got t-boned from someone and they ran a stop sign, you have a case. The most important thing right now is to be sure you are ok. Go to the emergency room.

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frizz1111 t1_ixov15z wrote

100% this. It would be wise to get an x-ray at least to rule out a fracture.

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El_Otro_Lebowski t1_ixoy18b wrote

This is the right answer. Go to the ER and tell them you were in an MVA. Don't worry about a lawsuit now, just get checked out. If you are injured and need to file a suit, you have 2 years from the date of the accident to file. Hopefully you're fine and don't have to worry about any of this!

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Jimmytowne t1_ixofmvs wrote

I think I heard about you on 101.5 traffic. Hope you’re okay.

Definitely go to the emergency room. Bring the case number. Explain you were in an accident. Don’t worry about suing, if anything you will sue your boyfriends insurance. They may settle or they’ll say You refused medical care. As far as the driver is concerned, you left the accident fine and maybe played full contact, no pads football after the accident and that’s where your injuries occurred.

But it’s good to know if you have a hairline neck fracture. Go to the ER

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YukiHase t1_ixoih5r wrote

Please, go now! If something is really wrong, by the time you realize it you may be too late. Be safe please.

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NJKbh899 t1_ixokh9g wrote

Go tonight. Don't waste. Technicalities start getting in the way of positive outcomes and may cause any potential litigation to not go in your favor.

I don't agree on going after your boyfriend's insurance.... He was the one that got hit (but then again, I am not an insurance expert).

Just think you will only be there for a few hours... Bring a phone charger. Wishing you the best and a speedy recovery.

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tubbyneko OP t1_ixokp4h wrote

i didn’t mean like go against his insurance i just wasn’t sure if my health insurance would cover an emergency visit to the ER due to auto accident, i’m definitely not trying to go against my bf in anyway lol sorry if i worded it incorrectly!

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NJKbh899 t1_ixol0o1 wrote

No worries I totally get it. If you have insurance, it will most definitely cover you for being in an auto accident. I would not worry about that. Even if you go to the hospital with a cut needing stitches, your insurance kicks in.

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SD-777 t1_ixq1iue wrote

The auto insurance will cover, but the health insurance would also cover anything the auto didn't, in particular if your treatment exceeds your auto insurance limits. If you don't have your own insurance, by law, you have to go through your boyfriend's policy so you aren't doing anything wrong.

Now later on you *might* sue your boyfriend's policy for a variety of reasons. If the other vehicle was at fault you would sue them, but if their coverage limits are lower than what your suit is asking for you could also sue your boyfriend's policy for the rest of it. Alternatively if your boyfriend was at fault you wouldn't sue the other vehicle, in that case you would just sue your boyfriend's policy. In the first case it shouldn't cause a premium increase, in the second case it would, but if he's at fault his insurance is going to go up anyway.

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Wise456 t1_ixoma8q wrote

There is a great deal of misinformation in this thread. Your medical bills will be paid by your BF's auto insurer unless you own a car or live with a relative who owns a car. If you are going to present claim for damages, it will be paid by the insurer of the at fault vehicle.

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tubbyneko OP t1_ixomiu0 wrote

it was his car that was messed up but i was just wondering if my health insurance would cover the injuries i have

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mescobar057 t1_ixoiwkg wrote

You’d prob go to overlook hospital. My gf works in the ER today. Very short staffed and the waiting room is already packed. I’d go to a diff hospital or you’re prob looking at a long wait just in the waiting area. But good luck and hope you feel better

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RapturePress t1_ixow4hn wrote

I mean she said she’s in Union. Trinitas in Elizabeth is the closest. Big hospital. So chance to be very busy but closest one to Union.

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ScarletKnight096 t1_ixolsd4 wrote

Urgent care are the worst. You will see a PA not a doctor. You need to go ti Emergency room with all information of what time, where, who was incomved which vehicle were you in. Injury might show up later, but you need to go to Hospital and later get police report.

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doubtfulisland t1_ixosmtn wrote

PA and Nurse Practioners aren't incompetent in fact they are highly skilled. There's a massive gap in doctors in primary care that will continue to be worse. There are shitty docs, PAs and NPs but just because they aren't a doc do not discount them. My wife is a primary care provider I've heard so many stories of doctors not catching things that PAs/NPs catch. Please don't be dismissive because the title isn't doctor.

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ScarletKnight096 t1_ixovqy7 wrote

I am talking of the general amd norm NOT the exceptions. My three siblings their spouces and few nephews and nieces are MDs so I know what those clincs are. Then they should charge accordingly. If I am paying to see a doctor, I better see a doctor. Many are under impression that they would walk on to see a primary care DOCTOR not a primary care PROFESSIONAL, which are different in everything.

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doubtfulisland t1_ixui60j wrote

How many of your 8 plus relatives that are doctors work in the ED? Why do you care what you pay? Are you self pay or do you have insurance? Would you be willing to drive around in an emergency situation looking for an MD?

Primary care providers are primary care providers some are Docs, some are NPs and some are PAs. You're very misguided and biased with your views.

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joedonut t1_ixoix56 wrote

Hello, u/ tubbyneko you are injured until your landshark says otherwise.

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irelace t1_ixox4yg wrote

Yes. Go. That's why we all pay out our asses for car insurance. If you don't go soon, as in now, you'll risk forfeiting the luxury of paying any future repercussions from possible injuries with the insurance.

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FriedHummus t1_ixok3l4 wrote

Go to the hospital right now! If you’re feeling pain now, it’s going to be worse tomorrow.

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Goldfish2022 t1_ixouazz wrote

Go to an ER to get yourself checked out. Let them know it was from an auto accident. Sometimes pain etc isn't a problem until days after an accident, and you don't want the burden of medical bills etc if you have injuries from it. Sorry this happened to you.

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OpeningComb7352 t1_ixow2w3 wrote

Always seek medical attention immediately. You may not need it… but it is covered. Just be sure you are okay…

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damageddude t1_ixp18bb wrote

Ah whiplash. Seek medical attention.

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eviljim113ftw t1_ixp1nix wrote

Go to the hospital ER. Just tell him you’re in an accident. Your insurance will handle the medical expenses. I got into an accident a month ago. I wasn’t in pain but my wife drove me to the hospital right after they towed my wrecked car. I opted not to take the ambulance.

My car insurance took care of all the bills.

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CarLover014 t1_ixp4mwr wrote

Seems like the adrenaline is wearing off now, and why you're starting to feel pain. Better to be checked out now than later when some other problems could develop

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carlosdangertaint t1_ixq0n5h wrote

Go and tell them it was a motor vehicle accident so that PIP covers your medical bills. Get checked out. It’s better to be safe than sorry….

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jaenjain t1_ixq7foo wrote

New Jersey is a no fault state, so the insurance for the car you were in covers your medical expenses. Im my case it was any expenses in the first two weeks following the accident were automatically covered and after that they had to approve it. I don’t know if that is standard policy for the state, or if those dates were particular for my insurance. For suing, I was told by my lawyer, that it had to be proven to be a permanent injury that would not improve with medical intervention or time.

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bros402 t1_ixqu2bv wrote

If you are asking this, see a doctor. Go to the ER, tell them you were in a car accident.

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Vegoia2 t1_ixqxp6s wrote

you could have whiplash, and by tomorrow you cant move. go to the hospital.

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Rimon07 t1_ixosx3n wrote

This is correct. The car insurance should cover the medical expenses. Then they will go after the driver at faults insurance. You would not be suing your BF's insurance you are going after.the driver at fault. Word of caution, if there is no permanent damage like a break you may not get much or anything at all. Up to the attorney to let you know what is and is not possible. Also, understand that it is a waiting game, nothing will happen for at least 2 to 3 years. They want you to lose interest and take whatever they offer. Again, talk to a lawyer. If it seems like I have been through this a few times I have with myself, ex-wife and a few friends. Hope you both went to the ER and hope you are ok. Best of luck

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tubbyneko OP t1_ixouutr wrote

i was just worried if my health insurance would cover the medical bills for visiting the ER due to a car accident sorry if i worded things in correctly still a bit shaken up lol

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Rimon07 t1_ixp2mhm wrote

That is completely understandable. I really hope you both went to the ER. A fracture in the wrong place can cause all sorts of issues later in life. Better to find out sooner than later so it can be dealt with immediately.

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SD-777 t1_ixq1qvm wrote

Yes the health insurance would cover even if you had auto insurance, but note that many (depends on ERISA rules) health insurance companies will lien your bills, meaning that if you got a settlement they would expect to be paid back out of your settlement. That's why it's much better to exhaust whatever auto insurance you have available before using your health insurance.

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