Father and daughter present after MVA fender bender. Of course
Dad has the usual bullshit back pain, blah blah blah complaint. He insists that daughter be seen even though she HAS NO COMPLAINTS. She has no pain, nothing. You heard me right.
This is the point we have come to with MVAs in this country. These personal injury lawyers advertising on TV have caused this kind of foolishness.
My question does it violate any regulations, EMTALA regulations to refuse to see his daughter in this situation? By the way, daughter was 17 years old.
6 comments:
I guess since she is a minor we would have to see her. But I would document on the chart no complaints no injuries. Normal exam.
We had a family who literally had a fender bender where no one had an injury and car was barely dented insist that the baby that was in the car seat and never moved be brought via ambulance!
My husband tapped a woman in a vehicle - no visible damage whatsoever....they were both pretty much stopped already.
The gal got out and they exchanged info at her request, although she never said anything about any injury.
The next day my husband got a call from the insurance company, stating that she had made a claim for "whiplash".
What foolishness! People should be ashamed of themselves ...!
EMTALA says you have to provide a screening exam to anyone that comes to the emergency room and seeks care.
Technically, you still have to see her.
But you can also bill the father for the visit and you can also write all over the chart that the patient denies complaints, that there were no injuries, that there was no damage to either vehicle, and that the patient kept stating "I don't know why my dad is making me do this."
Makes those injury claims look a lot more frivolous when they get to court.
I had a similar one. Young woman in MVC, no injuries, no complaints. Not impaired, sober as a judge. "So why exactly are you here?" Before she could respond, the lurking BF exclaims, "Everwun knows if you're in a car crash, you go to the hospital and get x-rays and one of them CAT scans."
Me: "There is nothing wrong with her. She says so herself. She has a normal exam. There is no need for any x-rays or tests."
Lurking BF: "You are refusing to treat her. I am calling the CEO. No, wait...I am going to his house right now and complain about you." (It was 11 p.m.)
Me: "Yep...good luck with that. Visit's over. The exit is right that way."
Fortunately my hospital does not use Press-Ganey.
I was in a MVA and didn't feel any pain till the next day---I was in shock, I had a level 3 Whiplash and a fracture on one of my vertebra in my neck....13 Months later was in another MVA and had ripped and torn EVERY ligament and tendon from the base of my skull to my coccyx and I didn't feel any pain then either---it wasn't until HOURS later that I actually felt it....I was told BY THE ER NURSES AND DOCTORS that you never know about the injuries that something could be broken----don't wait--always get checked out. Both accidents I was waiting for a vehicle that was stopped in front of me when a distracted driver hit me in the rear at full speed. I was sober and obeying ALL TRAFFIC laws...the people who hit me...one was a hit and run...the other was a drunk who had no license in the first place and no insurance....
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