New Accident, Old Injury? Your 2-Step Guide to Recovery and Legal Success
Being involved in a second accident—especially when you’re already managing a previous injury—is incredibly frustrating. Your immediate focus is on your health, but you likely have questions about your legal claim and your long-term recovery.
At La Health Solutions, we specialize in the rehabilitation phase of your journey. While we are not an emergency facility, we are the experts who help you regain your quality of life after the initial crisis has passed.
Here is the smart way to handle a new injury when you have a history with our team.
Step 1: The Emergency Room or Urgent Care (Right Away!)
If you have just been in an accident, your first stop must be an emergency room or a 24-hour urgent care clinic. Because La Health Solutions is a specialized rehabilitation and medical facility, we do not treat acute, life-threatening emergencies. Getting immediate medical clearance is essential for two reasons:
Your Safety: You need to rule out internal injuries, concussions, or fractures immediately.
Your Legal Protection: For personal injury or workman’s comp cases, a “gap in care” (waiting too long to see a doctor) can hurt your settlement.
Once you are stabilized and discharged from emergency care, that is when you call us.
Step 2: Return to La Health Solutions for Rehabilitation
After the ER, your next move should be returning to the team that already knows your medical history. If you’ve treated with us before for a previous injury, coming back to the same facility offers a massive advantage for your recovery and your legal case.
1. We Know Your “Before” and “After”
One of the hardest parts of a legal case involving a pre-existing condition is proving what damage is new. Because we have your previous records, our doctors can clearly document:
The progress you had made prior to the second accident.
The specific ways this new incident “aggravated” your old injury.
The difference in your range of motion and pain levels.
2. We Work Seamlessly with Your Lawyer or Workman’s Comp
Most of our patients come to us via attorney referrals or workman’s comp claims. We understand the “language” of these cases. By staying with one facility, your medical narrative remains consistent. This makes it much easier for your lawyer to build a strong case because they aren’t trying to piece together records from five different clinics.
3. Faster Coordination of Records
When you’re dealing with a legal claim, the insurance company will demand your entire medical history. If you are a returning patient at La Health Solutions, we have your full history ready to go. We can provide a comprehensive comparison of your health status, which is often the “missing link” in securing a fair settlement.
The Road to Recovery Starts Here (Again)
You don’t have to start from scratch with a doctor who doesn’t know your story. Once the ER has cleared you, come back home to the team that understands your body, your history, and your goals.