Posted: 11/1/2012 11:23:36 PM EDT
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So a few days ago I was in a relatively minor auto accident. I was stopped at a red light waiting to turn right when the car behind me rear ended me. Approximate speed on the police report was 10 MPH and I would estimate that to be accurate as we were both stopped when he accelerated assuming without looking that I had already turned/cleared the intersection. I called the police and waited for them to show up. While waiting I began to feel some neck and low back pain - I have been previously diagnosed with degenerative disk disease and have had issues with disk/pinched nerve issues in my neck and back but am not currently being treated nor have I had issues in the last couple of years or so. At this point I felt that the pain I was feeling was semi-normal for an accident of this nature so after filling out the police report/giving my statement I went home. The next morning I was in a little more pain and felt that it was prudent to see a Doctor so I went to the neighborhood urgent care facility - copay of $25.00 with my Health Insurance policy. This facility took a urine sample and sent me to an exam room to wait for the Dr. After a few minutes the Dr. came to see me and the first question he had was if " Do you always have blood in your urine"? My answer was no, but that I only have one kidney due to an issue that I was presumably born with which resulted in my left kidney being removed when I was 6. After a couple of questions about how far could I turn my head and bend my back the Dr. wrote 2 prescriptions (2 $10.00 copay )for pain and said I should go to the ER immediately for further evaluation due to the blood in my urine and lack of a kidney. The Dr. also gave me a brief note explaining I was under his care and was requesting further evaluation by the ER. So, I drove up the street to the hospital and explained the situation and showed the letter to the ER. The Dr. at the ER ( $100.00 copay ) ordered another pee test as well as blood work. When the urine test and blood work came back from the lab the Dr. found that my kidney function was normal and discharged / let me go home but suggested that I take it easy and follow up with my primary care physician for any ongoing issues with pain and to maybe check another urine sample to ensure that I didn't have kidney issues. After a day or so of phone tag with the insurance company ( the guy who hit me and I have the same insurance company) I gave a recorded statement of what happened and explained my injuries / treatment. A couple of days later I got a letter in the mail essentially stating that they ( the insurance company ) can't believe that my injuries were caused by the accident and implied that they wouldn't pay for the medical claim(s). My car was a 2010 and while not totally wrecked does now have damage - the bumper is trashed, the tail lights are misaligned, the trunk lid seams are off and the rear driver side passenger door seam is off.
I have pretty decent auto coverage but with a high deductible. So what does the HTF think - do I have a case? I'm not looking to get rich off of this, just get my car repaired, medical bills paid, and my time off of work for the Dr. taken care of.... |
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Your deductible is irrelevant because you were not at fault.
Next time you have pain that aggregates an existing medical condition you should be checked by an ambulance at the scene. Call the case officer and advised him that you are seeking medical care, he might want to put it in his report. |
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I am not you so I don't feel what you are experiencing but to me the neck and back soreness is consistent with an MVA, but not something I would have gone to Urgent Care for unless it was pretty bad.
Was the urine color normal? Very weird that Urgent Care finds something but the ER doesn't. Very curious to know what the values were on that sample because going to the ER seems overly cautious if your urine wasn't noticeably discolored but you do have 1 kidney. I think you would have been having more issue had there been some internal bleeding going on and having gone to take a piss you would have been freaked out. Still would be surprised if the urine sample findings would have been from accident but rather just coincidence. That said I think the pain meds are ridiculous just writing a script, again I can't feel what pain you have though. If this is where it ends, I would just leave it because the time spent pursuing compensation I don't see as worth it but if the neck and back pain need treatment beyond just a couple visits then maybe pursue it. Just my .02 since you requested it. ETA - lots of people have degenerative disk diagnosis, I don't read too much into it. Just like herniated/bulging disks - studies have shown they are very prevalent in the general population with people who do NOT have any back pain, as high at 70% even in young athletes. |
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Paragraphs
are a good thing. They make stories, easier to read. 
Yes, call your insurance company, let them know whats going on, not to place a claim, but to expect interactions from their insurance company. Most insurance companies will try to get the other inusurer to cover some of the costs. Call his insurance company and tell them your situation and you expect they will foot the bill for your car. They usually will offer you a settlement plus your medical bills paid when everything is done. Make sure your medical bills are paid. Before you spend your settlement. Sometimes they forget a small one here or there. |