None of us plan to get into a collision, but it happens. Did you know with personal injury protection insurance you have a limited amount of time to file a claim to cover medical attention concerning a wreck? It’s called the 14-Day Rule.
A Florida law requires an insurance policy cover at least 80% of a victim’s medically necessary care, but that victim must receive initial medical services and care within 14 days after the accident.
Should you comply, you can be subject to a number of types of benefits, including:
- Up to $10,000 in medical and disability benefits.
- Up to $5,000 in death benefits.
- Up to 80% coverage for surgeries, X-rays and rehabilitative services.
- Up to 80% coverage for ambulatory fees, hospital visits and nursing care.
By putting the 14-Day Rule in place, Florida can have more control in limiting insurance fraud.
For example, someone may have suffered an injury before the wreck and they’ll blame it on the car accident.
Having said that, it’s always best to get care as soon as possible after a collision. You should go to the hospital for a checkup even if you don’t think you have any injuries, because depending on what type of injury you’ve suffered, some can have delayed symptoms. Waiting can not only lead to exacerbating an injury, but it can cause increased costs for the insurance company.
“A person must keep in mind that many factors, such as the placement of a car’s headrest, size of both automobiles involved in the collision and the speed that they were traveling prior at impact, all play an important role in determining the injuries sustained,” said Dr. Anthony Crothers, also known as Doc Tony.
He said through research, it has been shown that even a crash in which a car is going 5 mph at the time of impact is capable of producing forces to cause whiplash injuries.
“The strain that the forces causing whiplash injuries place on the spine are capable of causing damage to the muscles, ligaments and nerves responsible for supporting your head and neck,” Doc Tony said. “If these seemingly minor injuries are not corrected, they often produce a waterfall affect leading to multiple neurological and musculoskeletal symptoms.”
That can lead to early degeneration of the vertebrae throughout your spine, as well as a multitude of symptoms such as pain and headaches.
Doc Tony said it’s smart to find a doctor who can address each area of the body following a wreck.
Doc Tony’s team creates an individualized plan that encompasses chiropractic adjustments, active and passive physical therapy, exercise programs and even nutritional modifications to help speed up the recovery process.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a car crash, click here to contact Doc Tony or call 800-368-8669 to schedule a consultation and get to the root of any injuries you may have suffered.