As the colder months continue, we will encounter poor driving visibility as well as slipperier and more dangerous road conditions. Therefore, the number of car accidents tends to be the highest during these winter months.
Transport Canada reported 140,801 minor to serious personal injuries because of a motor vehicle accident in 2019. This includes all ages, infant to over 65. Individuals aged 20 to 54 make up the majority of the injuries. 47% of these injuries were drivers of a car, 20% passengers, 12% were motorcyclists, 4% were bicyclists, and pedestrians made up almost 16% of the total injuries.
Most injuries from car accidents involve soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia) and are more often within the neck and back. Guelph Rehab Centre has an experienced healthcare team that deals specifically with injuries from car accidents. Guelph Rehab Centre's back program and headache program have been extremely successful in reducing back pain, neck pain, and headaches. The centre's focus is also to ensure the patient gets back to activities of normal living and back to work in an efficient and safe time frame.
If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in a motor vehicle accident, ensure you seek medical attention as required. At times, pain is not felt immediately and can sometimes take up to three or more weeks to experience. Guelph Rehab Centre offers complimentary assistance with navigating through the sometimes difficult task of completing all the paperwork required for submitting a claim to your auto insurance company. There are specific steps to take to ensure you will receive the appropriate care when accessing your accident benefits.
Firstly, notify your insurance company that you have been injured in a car accident. Your insurer will inform you of the protocols involved and will send you a package with forms to complete. The submission of these forms is time-sensitive and, as noted, Guelph Rehab Centre can assist you with these steps if needed at no cost to you.
Below are 5 more things you should know if injured in a car accident:
Accident Benefits For Rehabilitation
1. You have coverage for rehabilitation of your injuries
Whether you are at fault or not, you are entitled to rehabilitation coverage for injuries sustained in a car accident. The compensation applies whether you are the driver of the vehicle, a passenger, pedestrian, or cyclist. You can access our physiotherapy, chiropractic, massage therapy and more if clinically required to treat your pain and dysfunction.
2. You are entitled to other benefits as a result of a car accident
The Accident Benefits are to assist those who have been injured in a car accident. They provide different types of benefits such as Medical and Rehabilitation benefits. Income replacement, attendant care benefits, and lost educational expenses may also be available.
3. How to activate your Accident Benefits for Rehabilitation
You must first apply to an insurance provider in order to access these benefits. It would either be your auto insurer or if you do not have insurance (you were a passenger or pedestrian) it would be the company that insures the vehicle that was involved. To apply, you would complete an initial application then apply for each specific benefit through the use of the various forms. This process can sometimes be very complicated. Guelph Rehab Centre can assist you with this process at no cost to you.
4. Making an Accident Benefits claim does not cause your premium to go up
You have already paid for Accident Benefits within your insurance premiums. This means your annual rate does not go up just because you have made a claim. However, if you were at fault for the accident, there may be implications to your premium.
5. Guelph Rehab Centre can help
There are several forms to complete and it can be complicated. Guelph Rehab Centre's experienced Rehab Consultant can assist you with completing the forms and help you navigate through the process. Contact Guelph Rehab Centre to find out how you can work toward being pain-free as soon as possible.