I get questions like the above all of the time arising from accidents in Pinellas County. There is a general misunderstanding about what injuries are covered if one is involved in an auto accident, a truck accident or motorcycle accident. Following an accident, many people feel pain or soreness and go to the hospital to get checked out. At the hospital, it is standard procedure to be given an X-ray. Clearly, broken bones have a significant value for an accident claim, but they are actually not that common of an injury. The X-rays are often negative because the hospital is looking for broken bones or something that requires immediate medical attention. The person is then discharged with the diagnosis of a sprain or strain and sent on their way. Many people mistakenly believe that simply because the X-ray is negative, they do not then have an injury that would be compensable in a personal injury claim click over here.
What most people do not realize is that most injuries from auto, truck or motorcycle accidents cannot be detected through an X-ray only. An X-ray is simply not a tool that is capable of detecting certain structural injuries to the spinal cord, such as disc herniations, disc bulges and/or tears. These disc herniations, disc bulges and/or tears are actually the most common type of injuries from the impact associated with an auto, truck, or motorcycle accident. These personal injuries are best detected through an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging test).
So, if you are involved in an accident and feel pain or soreness, yet your X-ray was negative, get to a Chiropractor or Orthopedist for a consultation. You will certainly be sent out for an MRI to find out the true extent of your injuries. On the claims side, we then utilize the information from the MRI combined with consultation from your Dr. to recover appropriate compensation.