- Blog
Orthopedics & Personal Injury Cases
Posted on 12-20-2024 in Personal Injury by Dr. Erik Nilssen
What is an orthopedic specialist?
An orthopedic specialist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating injuries and conditions of the musculoskeletal system. Following medical school, they go through an additional five-year residency program to specialize in orthopedic surgery; oftentimes, orthopedic surgeons will cap off their training with a one-year fellowship program to further sub-specialize in one aspect of orthopedic surgery. Orthopedic specialists treat a wide variety of orthopedic conditions, including sprains, strains, fractures, dislocations, and soft-tissue injuries. To treat these conditions, they offer a wide range of treatments, including physical therapy, injections, orthobiologics, and surgery.
What is a personal injury?
Personal injury is a legal term for any injury to the body or mind of an individual, as opposed to damage to property. Personal injury claims result from accidents that are the result of negligence or reckless conduct and are one of the most common legal complaints filed today. If you have been injured in an accident–at work, on the road, or otherwise–you should immediately seek medical treatment, even if you believe you are not injured. Some injuries can take days or weeks to manifest and can cause lifelong pain and suffering if left untreated.
If you are injured as the result of someone else’s negligence, you may need to file a personal injury claim to ensure you can recuperate your damages. There are costs associated with treating your injury, making up for lost income, and accounting for changes to the quality of your life following the accident.
If you need to file a personal injury claim, there are a few things you will need to make sure you have at your disposal:
- Medical records, which will help you fully understand the extent of your injury and what is required to recover from your injury
- Police reports will help establish the exact course of events that led to your injury and determine who was at fault for an accident
- Evidence, including photos, videos, witnesses, and any applicable physical evidence
- History and research, like whether or not the at-fault party has a history of negligence or accidents and what their car maintenance records look like
- Medical bills, which will help you quantify the financial damages you incur as a result of the accident
How an Orthopedic Specialist Can Help With Your Personal Injury Case
From a medical standpoint, an orthopedic specialist is by far the best medical provider to see following an accident. They have years of training aimed at helping them diagnose and treat musculoskeletal injuries and have a number of specialized treatments at their disposal that other providers do not have. Orthopedic specialists have deep experience with similar cases and offer focused care that can help you get on the road to recovery quicker.
From a legal standpoint, orthopedic specialists can provide you with all necessary medical records required for a personal injury claim. Furthermore, what better person to offer reliable medical testimony at your trail than an orthopedic surgeon, whose sole clinical focus is the musculoskeletal system.
Check out some of our related posts:
Hurt During the Holidays: Orthopaedic Urgent Care
The holiday season is a time for joy, celebration, and... unfortunately, sometimes injuries. At North Florida Bone & Joint Specialists (NFBJS), we understand that accidents happen, especially when juggling holiday decorations, gifts and activities. That's why we're proud to offer the Hurt! app — your trusted resource for managing acute orthopaedic injuries, available 24/7, 365 days a year.
Kronlage and O'Grady Perform Life-changing Outreach
Late last month, North Florida Bone and Joint Specialists orthopaedic surgeons Dr. Steven Kronlage and Dr. Chris O'Grady performed a life-changing procedure on two ½-year-old Nassir Andrew from Grenada through their newly formed non-profit, Hands of Hope Medical Mission (HoHMM). Drs. Kronlage and O'Grady, who also serve as Co-Presidents of HoHMM, performed the organization's first sponsored stateside patient operation at the Andrews Institute Ambulatory Surgery Center.
Family Health History And Your Care
With National Family Health History Day approaching next week on Thanksgiving, it’s an ideal time to consider family health history’s role in your orthopaedic and sports medicine care. While many people think of family health history in relation to heart disease or cancer, a family history of orthopaedic conditions like arthritis, osteoporosis and other joint and bone issues can also impact your own risk and health management. Understanding and documenting your family health history can empower you and your orthopaedic provider to proactively manage or prevent conditions that could affect your long-term mobility and quality of life.