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One cause of peoples’ pain and injuries that I see often is due to automobile accidents (also called motor vehicle accidents or MVA). Most people aren’t involved in many accidents (at least I hope not!), so you might not know where to start if you find yourself in this unfortunate situation. So, I’d like to provide some pertinent information on what to do about getting your property fixed, as well as what to do to get you fixed.

To find out what to do about the property part, I contacted a good friend of mine and my insurance agent, Tom Cassidy. He owns the Allstate Insurance Agency located next to Sadowski Orthodontics near the Fairlane Village Mall in Pottsville. His agency provides all types of insurance and financial products to Pottsville, St. Clair, and the surrounding areas of Schuylkill County.

Here’s what he said to do if you’re in an accident. This does not cover the events immediately after the accident, but is what to do once your home the next day and need to figure out how to get the claim started.

“The most important step is to contact your insurance company to start a claim. Usually this can be done through your agent, through an 800 number, or online. Reporting the claim immediately with whatever information you have is enough to start the claim process. What’s most important is to take that first step. Information that will assist in the process, but is not necessary to initially report the claim, includes:
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• Name of the vehicle owner
• Date of the occurrence
• Type of loss or damage
• Location of the occurrence
• Related Injuries
• Others involved
• The condition of your vehicle
• Whether authorities such as police, fire department, or ambulance were notified.

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One important repair option to keep in mind is you can take your vehicle wherever you prefer to have it repaired. However, if you don’t have a preference, most insurance companies have preferred repair shops. The advantage of going to a preferred shop is that most insurance companies guarantee the repair job for the life of the vehicle. However you have a right to take the vehicle wherever you are most comfortable.

The last thing I’d like to pass on is about your coverages. If you just got into an accident, do you know what your deductibles are? If you have Rental coverage? How much medical coverage you have? Which tort option you have? Un-insured and under-insured motorist coverage? If you don’t know the answer to most of those questions, it would be a great idea to contact your agent to review your coverages now, to make sure you are covered properly if you do get into an accident.”

So, now that we have the property part figured out, let’s take a look at how to take care of YOU. If you’re having any pain or discomfort after the accident, it should be evaluated and treated. I’ve talked to far too many people who wait for it to go away, only having to deal with it many months afterwards. It’s best to get it addressed immediately so that it does not become chronic. Also, the longer you wait to get it treated, the more of a chance your insurance is going to question whether or not it’s accident related.

Pennsylvania is known as a “no fault” state when it comes to auto accident injuries. This means that regardless of whose fault it is, your own insurance takes care of the medical bills. Everyone is required to carry a minimum of $5,000 medical coverage on their auto insurance. Note that using this insurance does not increase or affect your premiums whatsoever. I recommend that you contact your insurance agent and increase this amount to at least $20,000 or more because I’ve seen many people who are in accidents, take a trip by ambulance to the hospital, have a few tests done, and exhaust $5,000 very quickly. It doesn’t cost much to increase the health coverage limits on your auto plan, and I would suggest you consider doing so.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you can seek care from the provider of your choice. It’s not like an HMO where all care has to be coordinated by your primary care physician. There are no copays and no deductibles to meet either as it pertains to your medical care for problems related to the auto accident.

So, I hope that provides helpful information if you were or are ever involved in an auto accident in Pennsylvania.

If you are interested in checking out your options regarding auto insurance, and you live in Pottsville or the surrounding areas of Schuylkill County, give Tom Cassidy a call at 570-429-2602.

If you need help with an injury or pain related to a recent automobile accident, give my office a call at 570-366-2613 or check out my website here, Blue Mountain Family Chiropractic.

(Dr. Touchinsky is a chiropractor in Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County. He focuses on the treatment of muscle and joint related issues, including migraines, headaches, neck and back pain, sciatica, disc bulges, chronic pain, etc. He has treated may people who have sustained injuries from motor vehicle accidents including whiplash, back pain, and many other issues. For a free consultation to discuss your issues and determine if chiropractic care can help, call the office at 570-366-2613.)

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