If you were injured in a crash caused by another driver’s negligence, you have the legal right to seek compensation for damages, such as the cost of medical care. If doctors recommend physical therapy to help with your recovery, you should be able to include these costs in your claim.
Below, Pfeifer, Morgan & Stesiak discuss car crash injuries that may require physical therapy, types and costs of physical therapy, and potential options for recovering compensation.
Our South Bend auto accident lawyers may help you with your claim. We have recovered more than $200 million in compensation for our clients. We manage every step of the legal process on behalf of injured victims, at no upfront cost.
Call our office at (844) 678-1800 to schedule a FREE case review.
What Kinds of Crash Injuries May Need Physical Therapy?
There are many car accident injuries that may benefit from physical therapy. Here are a few of the common ones:
- Whiplash: Physical therapy may be necessary to heal and strengthen the muscles and tendons of your neck and spine.
- Dislocated joints or broken bones: You may need to wear a brace or cast if you have a dislocated joint or broken bone. This could take several weeks, during this time your surrounding muscles and ligaments get weaker. Physical therapy can help rebuild strength so you can more fully recover. However, sometimes victims never fully recover. That said, physical therapy could help reduce the risk of arthritis or other long-term complications.
- Back and neck injuries: Physical therapy is one of the most common treatment plans for back and neck injuries following a car accident. The physical therapist may work with you on strengthening surrounding muscles to better support the others while they heal.
Common Types of Physical Therapy for Accident Victims
Physical therapy is a broadly used term for the treatment of acute and chronic symptoms. There are various types of physical therapy based on which one may best address a particular injury.
The most common types of physical therapy are:
- Exercises and assisted movements that involve the therapist manually assisting you with a task, such as squeezing a ball.
- Manual and massage therapy that treats musculoskeletal pain and disability primarily by kneading and manipulating your muscles and joints.
- Using traction, braces or sleeves to relieve tension and stabilize muscles and joints.
- Heat and cold treatment to the affected area on your body using packs or cloths to reduce inflammation and loosen stiff muscles and tissues.
- Hydrotherapy, which involves the use of water to relieve pain and stiffness.
- Stimulating skin and muscles with electric current to reduce pain, stimulate tissue healing and strengthen muscles.
Determining the Cost of Physical Therapy
It is difficult to estimate how much it will cost for physical therapy without first assessing the circumstances.
There are multiple factors that may determine costs, including the type of physical therapy you will be receiving. Some treatments cost more than others.
Typically, the more sessions you need, the more money it is going to cost. Seeing a physical therapist two or three times for whiplash will most likely cost much less than an extended, months-long physical therapy treatment plan for a slipped disc in your neck.
Proving the Need for Physical Therapy
While you have the right to pursue compensation from a negligent driver’s insurance company, you must prove fault and the existence of damages.
Proving Fault
Your lawyer will need to gather evidence to show that the crash was caused by the other driver’s breach of a duty of care. This means the driver failed to take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of a crash, such as by breaking traffic laws. Proving this will require evidence, such as the police report, pictures of the accident, witness statements, traffic camera footage and possibly a report from an accident reconstruction expert.
If you had the right of way and were making a right-hand turn at a green light, for instance, video showing the other driver running a red light would be strong evidence in support of your claim.
Linking Injuries to the Crash
Insurance companies often argue that a crash victim’s injuries were caused by another incident or were preexisting. They might also say there is no way you could have suffered the injuries in the crash because it was not serious enough.
However, medical records clearly showing a clean bill of health or no previous injuries from work, recreational activities or otherwise could help defeat these arguments. Documentation, such as receipts and written records of your medical costs and doctor visits since the crash are also important for your case.
The insurance company may also question whether you need physical therapy for your injuries. They may say it is unnecessary because you are not seriously injured or that there is little benefit to physical therapy.
Your lawyer can present your medical records and bring in medical experts to explain how your injuries occurred, and how you may benefit from physical therapy. You can also present records of your physical therapy appointments to show how it is helping you.
It may also be a good idea to obtain documentation showing the impact your injuries have had on your body and daily activities.
Additional Damages From a Car Crash Injury Claim
There are a variety of damages you can pursue in a car crash claim, besides the cost of physical therapy:
- Lost wages for the hours you missed work because you were physically unable or needed medical treatment
- Loss of earning capacity due to being rendered unable to work or perform the same work as you did before
- Pain and suffering for physical pain and emotional distress, such as depression and a decreased quality of life
- Property damage to your car and other personal property
- Disability and disfigurement and the cost of adjusting to a new lifestyle
Contact Our South Bend Office Today To Discuss Your Case
If you were injured in a car crash, you are going to need compensation to cover your medical care, lost wages and pain and suffering. Our attorneys are prepared to work tirelessly to help you get the compensation you need to put your life back together.
There are no upfront costs if you hire our firm. We only get paid if we recover compensation for you. Call us today to discuss your legal options.
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