ER and Accidents
DISCLAIMER - We are not medical experts. We are not your doctor. This blog is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. This blog constitutes general information only, and you should consult a medical professional for your particular questions, conditions, injuries, or concerns.
You have been injured in a car wreck. Should you go to the Emergency Room (ER) or an Urgent Care clinic?
First, you should get treated for your injuries as soon as possible after a wreck. The same day as the wreck is the best, the next day is the next best, and so on. Regardless of where you go for treatment, be sure to get checked out right away. It is important to get the immediate care that you need for your own well-being. And, from a legal standpoint, you need to be able to prove that your injuries were caused by your wreck.
ER or Urgent Care?
So, where should you go? ER or Urgent Care? Well, it usually depends on the severity of the injury.
Emergency rooms have more equipment and access to a larger staff, including attending physicians and various specialists. As a result, ERs are more suited for severe injuries, such as head or body trauma, broken bones, internal bleeding, or severe lacerations. If you are moderately or severely hurt, you should go to the ER without question.
But, you should know that ERs are very expensive. Depending on your injuries and treatment, the average ER bill will be at least $2,000-$3,500 (even for minor injuries). Also, if you are taken to ER by ambulance, you can expect that ride to cost another $1,500-2,000.
Urgent Care for Minor Injuries
Given the high costs of emergency care, you may want to consider an Urgent Care clinic for less severe injuries. A good example of a common, relatively minor injury is whiplash. That injury is regularly caused by car accidents and usually results in neck/back pain, but you can still walk and talk, and are able to drive yourself.
If you elect to go to an urgent care facility, the on-call doctor or Nurse Practitioner will be able to document your injuries, perform X-rays, and provide medication at the initial visit. An urgent care clinic can provide you some initial care, obtain medication to assist in your recovery, and document your injuries as being related to your car wreck.
In general, an urgent care clinic will have access to less equipment and fewer medical professionals, but they can provide good, cost-effective care for minor injuries. A trip to the urgent care usually costs a few hundred dollars (or even less, depending on your health insurance) – in comparison to the thousands of dollars you will be billed for an ER visit.
Get Medical Help
To sum up – the most important thing to do after any car wreck is get immediate medical attention for any injuries. If you are hurt, you need treatment as soon as possible. But, for minor injuries, you may want to consider visiting an Urgent Care Clinic first, rather than going straight to the ER.
Have you been hurt in a car accident or due to the fault of another?
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