
I've Experienced a Personal Injury: Where Do I Start?

Experiencing any type of injury can leave you feeling frustrated, especially if you’re left in pain or debilitated as a result. However, if you were hurt due to circumstances that were no fault of your own, you may be eligible to pursue compensation for your personal injury.
The term “personal injury” is used to describe any bodily injury sustained in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence. Personal injuries can include slip and falls, auto accidents, sports mishaps, and product liability issues. While workplace accidents can also occur due to someone else’s negligence, these incidents are often covered under a separate category called workers’ compensation.
If you’ve experienced a personal injury, it’s important to receive medical treatment at a practice that understands what’s often required in getting the compensation you deserve from this type of situation.
Orthopedic surgeon Robert Douglas Bostick III, MD, and the team at Metairie Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Metairie, Louisiana, have years of experience treating personal injuries as well as providing litigation support in these cases. Dr. Bostick and the staff have the professional expertise necessary to treat the types of orthopedic injuries that frequently occur as the result of a personal injury.
While the compensation aspect of a personal injury is a legal matter, having a medical team knowledgeable in treating personal injuries can be helpful if you decide to pursue legal action. In this blog, Dr. Bostick discusses the medical aspects of a personal injury and what to expect if you experience this type of event.
Seek immediate medical care
No matter what type of personal injury you experience and who is at fault, the first thing you should do after experiencing a personal injury is to seek medical treatment.
Getting an examination can help identify soft tissue or brain injuries that may not cause immediate symptoms. Fast and professional treatment can help ensure that the steps necessary to support your recovery are taken.
During your examination, it’s important to remain honest about any pain or discomfort. Providing a detailed description of your pain can help your medical team make an accurate diagnosis as quickly as possible.
Getting prompt medical attention is also critical in case you decide to pursue legal action against the person or organization responsible for your injury. In most jurisdictions, you have a set amount of time in which you’re able to file a personal injury claim in court.
Follow medical advice for treatment
Whether you pursue a personal injury claim or not, you need to follow your personalized treatment plan to achieve the best results. You can’t wait until the results of a personal injury claim to seek treatment. Filing a personal injury claim is a time-consuming and complex process that may not be resolved until well after you’ve recovered.
Depending on the extent and location of your injury, our team may advise some or all of the following types of treatment:
- RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation)
- Activity modification
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Stretching and strengthening exercises
- Physical therapy
- Steroid or viscosupplementation injections
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
- Wearing an orthopedic device, such as a sling or brace
- Arthroscopic surgery
- Joint replacement
During your recovery, it’s important to maintain documentation of your injuries and the treatments you receive. This can help you follow through on our instructions and may also be relevant in the calculation of costs for a personal injury claim.
Pursue legal advice
Contacting an experienced personal injury attorney is the best way to determine whether your incident qualifies as a valid personal injury claim. Every personal injury claim is unique, so it’s best to consult with an expert to determine the next steps.
If you decide to pursue legal action against the person or organization that caused your injury, our team can work with your lawyer to provide expert litigation support for orthopedic issues in the shoulders, hips, knees, elbow, hands, and other joints. Our experienced staff can support your personal injury claim by providing the expert medical perspective that your legal team requests.
To learn more about the ways our staff can support you after a personal injury, call 504-541-5800 or book an appointment online with Metairie Orthopedics & Sports Medicine today.
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