Accidents aren’t something we like to think about when we drive on Merced County roads and highways. But if you were in a serious accident you’d want to know you have the best medical care available to you. If your injuries are severe enough you may need immediate transport to the closest trauma center. Luckily Merced County is close to a few high-level emergency rooms where lives are saved every day.
If you are seriously hurt due to the actions of a negligent driver, you should seek treatment first, but then you should talk to a local attorney serving Merced and all of Central Valley. Your first consultation is free.
There should be no question about who should be paying for your medical care. The car insurance company representing the driver responsible should step up. However, sometimes insurance agents still make injured victims clear several hurdles just to get basic compensation for medical care. An experienced car accident lawyer can make sure insurance firms take your injury and pain seriously.
Merced County’s Closest Trauma Centers
Merced County is served by the talented doctors, nurses, and staff at Mercy Medical Center Merced located at 333 Mercy Avenue. They provide emergency services but are not designated as a trauma center. If you’ve suffered a severe injury you may be transported to a level one or level two center.
The closest trauma center to the scene of your collision may be the one located at Fresno’s Community Regional Medical Center. It’s also the most equipped trauma center in our region.
Fresno County Trauma Center Information:
Fresno County has only one trauma center. Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno is home to the Table Mountain Rancheria Trauma Center. It’s the only Level 1 trauma center between Los Angeles and Sacramento.
Community Regional Medical Center & Table Mountain Rancheria Trauma Center
2823 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
(559) 459-6000
Modesto Trauma Center Information:
Modesto has two Level II Trauma Centers available. Victims in Merced County seriously hurt but not in need of Level 1 care may be taken to one of these locations.
Doctors Medical Center Modesto
1441 Florida Avenue
Modesto, CA 95350
(209) 578-1211
Memorial Medical Center Emergency Department
1700 Coffee Road
Modesto, CA 95355
(209) 576-3883
What is a Traumatic Injury?
Traumatic injuries deal with physical damage the victims absorb from forces from outside the body that requires immediate medical treatment.
In the case of car accidents, there are many different types of injuries that can require this high level of medical care. Traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries are some of the most severe wounds trauma centers see. Collapsed lungs, and crush and burn injuries also commonly get treated in trauma centers.
What is a Trauma Center?
A trauma center is a medical care unit found in a licensed hospital. Each state has its own designation on what separates a trauma center from other emergency rooms. In California, trauma centers are ranked by a level of one through four, with level one signifying the most advanced care.
California’s 81 trauma centers receive and admit over 70,000 patients per year. They are designated by the Local Emergency Medical Services Agency (LEMSA). They house at a minimum a multidisciplinary trauma team and a basic emergency department. Some of the specially trained health care providers at trauma centers may include trauma surgeons, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, cardiac surgeons, and radiologists.
Trauma Center Designations In California
California uses its level system to designate the type of trauma care available at each center. These are defined by the California Emergency Medical Services (EMSA).
- Level I and level II trauma centers are equipped and staffed to offer the highest level of medical care. They have similar medical professionals and resources with the greatest difference being that level I’s are research and teaching facilities.
- Level III and level IV trauma centers generally provide initial stabilization of trauma patients. Some patients are transferred from Level III and IV to Level I & II when needed. Level III facilities generally have more advanced surgical capabilities than Level IV facilities.
- Pediatric trauma centers focus specifically on care for infants, children, and adolescents. The Level I pediatric centers require some additional pediatric specialties, research, and teaching responsibilities.
