Car accident victims may wonder if physical therapy is necessary. Sometimes, doctors will refer you to a physical therapist for rehabilitation, depending on your injuries. In some cases, physical therapy can help you get your life back on track after certain accident-related injuries. While some accident victims may hesitate when deciding to seek a physical therapist because of the additional medical expense, generally, physical therapy costs can be recovered as a current or future medical expense. When you're in an accident, it's the responsibility of the at-fault party to pay for your medical rehabilitation and other damages caused by the accident. Thus, if you've built up a substantial amount of medical bills due to an accident, you should speak with a knowledgeable auto accident lawyer versus just accepting the first settlement offer from the insurance company. At Impact Legal, we offer free initial consultations and case reviews. To schedule this in-person or via a virtual meeting, call or text us at 602-345-1818. You may also fill out our online form here.
In this article, we're discussing the benefits of seeking physical therapy after a car accident. If you have other questions about physical therapy or other potential losses you incurred as a result of an accident, please review our extended blog or give us a call.
Reasons to Consider Seeing a Physical Therapist Post Car Accident
There are a few reasons why you may want to consider getting physical therapy after a car accident, including:
- Speed up your recovery process - After a car wreck, one of the main priorities is to get your health back in order. Physical therapists will design specific protocols for you intended to strengthen muscles, promote your range of motion and flexibility, and decrease pain.
- Minimize long-term injuries and lessen pain - With car accidents, often comes chronic pain. Seeking rehabilitation, like physical therapy, as quickly as possible after your accident can reduce the pain you feel during recovery, as well as any chronic pain and long-term complications that may result from your initial injuries.
- Avoid invasive medical procedures - While immediate surgeries may be needed, depending on the severity of your accident, physical therapy can strengthen muscles, tendons, and ligaments to help stave off additional surgeries during your recovery. Additionally, physical therapy is less expensive than invasive surgeries and requires no recuperation time.
- Optimize mental health, too - Physical therapy can also enhance your mood due to the reduction of pain and the natural endorphins that exercise promotes. When you physically feel better, you emotionally and mentally feel better.
- Obtain more evidence to prove your personal injury claim - Seeking physical therapy can be a serious time commitment, sometimes calling for multiple sessions per week. This may show your dedication to healing and recovery, as well as show your timeline of recovery. Physical therapy expenses can be included in your injury settlement request.
Types of Car Accident Injuries That May Be Treated By Physical Therapy
Not all of your injuries will be visible after a car accident. Many ailments will creep up on you within hours or even days of the accident due to adrenaline. While invisible to the naked eye, these injuries may be the worst kind, keeping you down and out of work for much longer than visible bruises and scratches. A doctor will diagnose these invisible injuries, and often leave them to heal. However, physical therapy can actively work to heal these types of injuries, so that you can get back to your life more quickly and with less pain. Some examples of injuries that a physical therapist may help to heal include:
- Pain and stiffness in head, neck, and shoulders
- Pain and stiffness in hips, knees, etc
- Loss of range of motion in the neck
- Headaches and migraines due to stiffness in the neck, back, and shoulders
- Tingling and numbness in the extremities
- Dizziness and fatigue
- Sometimes physical therapy can help with blurred vision and memory issues, depending on what is causing these symptoms
How Will I Pay for Physical Therapy?
If you were hurt in a car accident and need physical therapy to recover, the at-fault party will be responsible for paying for your recovery. However, even if you contributed to a percentage of fault in the accident, you may still be entitled to a certain amount of reimbursed losses, like ER bills, physical therapy expenses, and medication costs. It's important to speak with a lawyer to understand what you might expect in a car accident injury settlement.
Speak with a Car Accident Lawyer in Arizona Today
Speak with our car accident lawyers in Arizona today about getting your medical bills paid, so you can focus on healing. At Impact Legal, we offer free initial case reviews. You can schedule yours by calling or texting us at 602-345-1818. You may also submit our online form, and we will reach out to you to schedule the best time to meet.