If you have suffered an injury in a car crash, your top priority should be receiving medical care. After all, delaying care may cause you to develop serious complications. Furthermore, you may not be able to tell whether your accident-related injury is minor, moderate or severe without a doctor’s insights.

The emergency room is likely to be your first stop for traumatic care. Of the six states that make up New England, New Hampshire has the highest average cost for an ER visit. In fact, if your condition is moderately severe, you can expect to pay nearly $1,800 to have an ER doctor examine you.

What do ER costs cover?

Despite its comparatively small size, New Hampshire’s average ER cost ranks 17th in the country. Still, it is impossible to find an ER anywhere in the country that is exactly cheap, because it is expensive to provide emergency care.

Not only must doctors have the tools to diagnose and treat everything from stomach bugs to spinal cord injuries, but the hospital must pay to keep the doors open. Electricity, water, janitorial services and other necessary expenses add up quickly.

How many bills will you receive?

If you visit the emergency room, you are likely to receive several bills. In addition to paying just to be in the ER, you may have to pay for diagnostic tests, scans, medical specialists, transportation and other services.

By the time you are ready to leave the ER, you may have racked up thousands of dollars in medical expenses. Ultimately, even if you have health insurance,  it may be advisable to pursue financial compensation from the driver who caused the accident to help you avoid bankruptcy.