Being a victim of a motor accident is a terrible experience. Aside from the financial losses, the stress and pain sustained from injuries are usually difficult to face. These injuries can also cause long-term effects.
Doctors often prescribe physical therapy for people who have suffered injuries in an accident. This article will explain physical therapy and when an accident settlement can cover it.
What Is Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy is a medical treatment prescribed to someone who sustained injuries from an accident. The treatment aims to restore functional movements or the body’s physical function.
Physical therapy mainly concerns injuries that affect the ligaments, joints, or muscles. These injuries may hinder mobility, affecting activities like running or walking. These injuries are also often less visible.
What Are the Benefits of Physical Therapy?
To understand why doctors usually prescribe physical therapy, below are some of the benefits of the treatment.
- Physical therapy builds up the muscles and can quicken the recovery of body parts that have been injured
- Professional therapists frequently have access to some pain-relieving methods. These methods may save you the cost of expensive and dangerous prescription opioids
- Physical therapists can advise you on managing discomfort
- To help patients avoid surgery, doctors frequently recommend physical therapy
- Physical therapy can teach you how to lessen the burden on weak areas, preventing further harm
- After severe accidents, a physical therapist can help you retrain movements that your injuries may have hindered, like walking
Will Physical Therapy Be Included in Your Accident Settlement?
Insurance settlements should typically cover an accident victim’s economic and non-economic losses. Some examples of losses include:
- Past and future medical costs
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning potential
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Physical pain
- Emotional anguish
- Suffering
Sometimes, an insurance company may not include physical therapy in its initial offer. If you experience this, do not agree with the insurance company’s proposal.
“Ideally, your insurance settlement should include all your medical treatment. As an accident victim, an insurance company is responsible for covering your physical therapy costs,” says personal injury lawyer Steve Fleschner.
To determine past costs, you can look at medical bills and receipts to find a total sum. To determine future costs, your medical provider will have to estimate how many treatments you will need in the future. Once these are determined, your lawyer can demand a settlement from the insurance company.
If the insurance company fails to compensate you as a victim, your lawyer can file a personal injury lawsuit against them.
Conclusion
If you have suffered injuries from a car accident or fall, sometimes a doctor might recommend physical therapy to help you heal. Our article has explained physical therapy’s importance. Furthermore, this article also answered whether an accident settlement should cover physical therapy or not.
