Auto Insurance Claims: shoulder strain, soft tissue injuries, upper back pain

Question
i was in a car accident on 10-11-07 about 630am the other guy was at fault there were no witness my car got total.the police came ask me was i hurt i said no i didn't have car insurance so he told me that he would give me two options 1st option was for him to give me a ticket for not having insurance and susoend my driving privileges or 2nd option was for me and the other guy to try and work it out on our own. so i said okay we would try to handle it ourself so he gave me his insurance info. so my shoulder starts to hurt on 10-12-07 so i go to the doctor on 10-13-07 and they took xrays and say that i have shoulder strain but i think its more than that because now i'm having upper back pain too and my doctor (army) gave me some shoulder exercises but that is not helping and i dont know what to do.so do you think i should get a second opinion.do you think i have a case

Answer
Hi Nikita,
My first advise to you is to immediately purchase auto insurance.
Since the police officer let you off the hook by not issuing a citation, that means that he didn't complete a police report.  If he had cited you, you would have been fined and had your license suspended until you secured insured and provided proof of insurance to the state for the next 3 years.  Between the cost of a ticket and the extra penalties that would be added for filing proof, the officer probably saved you about $3,000 or more.
It's quiet normal to suffer 'soft tissue' injuries after an auto accident, including the muscle strain in your shoulder and lower back pain.
You mentioned that you were treated by an Army Doctor.  Are you in the military or simply a veteran who has the right to go to a military doctor?
Yes, you do have a case, but in the absence of a police report and any witness, it's very slim.
Payment for 'pain and suffering' is based upon your medical bills which include doctors visits, physical therapy, possibly a CT scan or MRI.  Do you have health insurance or adequate money to pay all these costs 'out of pocket' with only a slim chance of recovery.
Perhaps you should continue the shoulder exercises for a few more days and apply ice packs to your back and shoulder  for 20 minuets at a time at least 4 or more times per day to help reduce the inflammation.  If this doesn't help, you should get a second opinion for your own health and well being, but based on the information that you provided, I see a slim chance of recovery.  It might be in your best interest to consult with a personal injury attorney and get his opinion.  The first consultation is usually free.
I trust my answer has been of help.
Your feedback to my answer will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Bennie
San Francisco Bay area 10-28-07 2:44 AM PST