Top Five Questions to Ask in the ER after a Car Accident

If you have been injured in a Southern California car accident, it is imperative that you seek immediate medical attention. Our Santa Monica car accident injury attorneys at Steinberg & Spencer have handled cases in which the victim did not go to the emergency room or a family physician right away. The victim then ended up having to be treated for injuries that he or she was initially unaware of. Not only can this be harmful to your health, but it also can be difficult to explain your injuries to the insurance company without proof of an immediate visit.

There are also important questions that injury victims should ask each doctor they see - from the emergency room doctor and their own family physicians to surgeons or physical therapists visited for treatment.

In this article, we will focus on the top five questions to ask in the emergency room after a car accident. While it may be a good idea to ask these same questions of all of your doctors, here are the ones that must be asked in the ER:

1. What are my injuries and what do they mean? Ask the doctor and nurses to speak in layman's terms. The more you understand your injury, the more likely you are to focus on your recovery and avoid things that can make it more difficult. Find out what additional care you will need and how long you can expect to be dealing with pain.
2. Can I have your insight on how my injury was caused? You obviously know that you are in the emergency room because of a car accident, but find out the doctor's opinion on why it happened. Is it because you most likely hit your head on the steering wheel? Is your back injury due to the way that the other car hit you? Getting a doctor's opinion - especially in writing - can prevent the insurance company from blaming your injury on something unrelated to the crash.
3. May I please provide you with a list of my medications? This question may seem obvious, but busy nurses in a crammed ER could easily overlook it and not ask. Providing a list of meds will ensure that you do not have a cross-reaction to any medications that they prescribe.
4. Can I get my future care in writing, along with someone to explain it to me? Not all emergency room staff members will provide you with written instructions on what to do after you are discharged, and it can be hard to remember exactly what needs to be done when you are facing the trauma of a car accident.
5. When will I be able to see my family care physician and will you be speaking with him? Letting your primary care physician know about your accident injury as soon as possible could help you schedule a follow-up visit with him or her faster. Find out if the hospital will be relaying any information to your primary care physician, including the prescribed treatment or medications.

Find out more information that every car accident victim should know by ordering your free copy of Seven Biggest Mistakes That Can Ruin Your California Injury Case, written by the Southern California car accident injury lawyers of Steinberg & Spencer. Call 800.350.8888, or fill out our online form to request your free case evaluation.