How to go about contacting DAN for dive related injury?

Geek · Post by **Geek** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 10:38 am

So coming out of the water at lobster shop last night, swim in, take off fins and start the walk out... stepped on a rock in about 3' of water and my ankle went sideways, it was sore but I was able to walk up to the truck, put stuff away ect, now this morning can barely walk on it... I've had sprain's before and if this felt like one I would care so much but it don't feel like a sprain...

so my question is, how do I contact DAN on a weekend? Do I just go to the hospital and give them my insurance card? (don't have my own health insurance or I would just go) or call the emergency line? It don't exactly feel like an emergency but it don't feel good either...

any help would be... errr... helpful

edm81363 · Post by **edm81363** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 10:42 am

You can always reach DAN at +1 (919) 684-9111, 24/7.

Magoi · Post by **Magoi** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 10:45 am

According to my DAN Handbook, you can call the DAN Hotline at 1-919-684-8111 or 1-919-684-4326 for "all suspected diving injuries". Sounds like it may be worth calling before you go to the hospital.

Good luck. Hope it is not too serious.

Waynne Fowler · Post by **Waynne Fowler** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 4:31 pm

Yes just call any of the above #'s. If its not feelin good its conscidered an emergency. They'll be glad you called and so will you.

Dusty2 · Post by **Dusty2** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 4:43 pm

Sounds like beach time to me. Keep us posted.

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:36 am

Please take this opportunity to program the above numbers into your cell phone. If you type "DAN" into mine, you get 3-4 ways of reaching them... and if you type "Duke" in you get 2 ways of reaching Duke Diving Medicine.

These numbers, the anti-poaching line, and your regular dive spots' non-emergency police phone number are all great numbers to have on hand, and I know most of my buddies have them in their phones.

BASSMAN · Post by **BASSMAN** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 4:23 am

Geek,
Hope all turns out Okay for you.
Call the 919-684-2498 number and ask questions.

Sounder,
Remember when you started the thread about what should be in your S.A.D. kit?
That was a great thread, but got kind of long.

I figure if I have the D.A.N. information line, 919-684-2498, they could point me in the right direction as far as emergency or not.

I agree we should have all important DAN numbers in our phone but now...
Dive emergency line's
919-684-8111 (Durham Regional Hospital)
919-684-4326( which you should call if you need to make a collect call)
919-684-9111 (24/7)the Latin America Hotline number, where speakers of Spanish and Portuguese can receive help.
Non-Diving Emergencies
800-326-3822. - This number, available 24/7, helps arrange transportation provided by MedAire,
OR
(Information line)
919-684-2498 if you're calling from anywhere outside the United States and Canada, use this direct line.
If you have a question about your membership, insurance status, need to find a dive doctor in your area, or need information on diving with a stuffy nose, this is the number to call. The DAN staff is there to help.

Mattleycrue76 · Post by **Mattleycrue76** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 7:36 am

I'm sorry to hear about you plight geek. I really hope DAN comes through for you. They left me holding the bag in a spectacular way with a similar but worse injury. My best advise is to make sure to tell them it happened WHILE DIVING. If you give them room for interpretation of any kind they'll likely tell you that you're not covered. Good luck to you!

Geek · Post by **Geek** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 9:07 am

Thanks for the info guys, I did end up calling the emergency line, would have called the info line but it's the weekend, basicly told me to go to a urgent care or emergency room and they cover what my (non exsistant) insurance wouldn't... giving it through the weekend and see if it will get better on it's own but it kinda sucks....

Joshua Smith · Post by **Joshua Smith** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:13 pm

Geek wrote:Thanks for the info guys, I did end up calling the emergency line, would have called the info line but it's the weekend, basicly told me to go to a urgent care or emergency room and they cover what my (non exsistant) insurance wouldn't... giving it through the weekend and see if it will get better on it's own but it kinda sucks....

Ice, elevation, ibuprofin and cheap ankle splints from Walgreens. And- this is very important- DON'T re-injure it. I just went through this last year, and it really sucks. Wear some good, stiff workboots, and lace 'em up snug.

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 6:04 pm

If you can bear weight on it, the likelihood is that it isn't broken, especially if you can push on the back of the two ankle bones (not the front!) without pain. (This is called the Ottawa ankle rules, and they aren't infallible . . . they failed spectacularly with my massive ankle crush injury, but then again, I have one of the world's highest pain tolerances.)

You can pick up a thing called an air splint at a medical supply store -- they give the ligaments of the ankle significant support, reduce the pain, and reduce the chance of reinjury. Take sprains seriously -- they are real damage to the ligaments that support the joint, and if not allowed to heal well, can result in a unstable ankle that is much more likely to roll.

citycatred · Post by **citycatred** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 10:06 am

LCF wrote: You can pick up a thing called an air splint at a medical supply store -- they give the ligaments of the ankle significant support, reduce the pain, and reduce the chance of reinjury. Take sprains seriously -- they are real damage to the ligaments that support the joint, and if not allowed to heal well, can result in a unstable ankle that is much more likely to roll.

I'm pretty sure that I still have my splint from when I hurt my ankle. You can use it if you need it. It should fit you.

Geek · Post by **Geek** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 10:35 am

Real men wear steel toed ex-ship yard boots instead of splints

citycatred · Post by **citycatred** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 1:46 pm

Geek wrote:Real men wear steel toed ex-ship yard boots instead of splints

A certain real man must be stupid to not wear a splint

Joshua Smith · Post by **Joshua Smith** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 3:15 pm

Geek wrote:Real men wear steel toed ex-ship yard boots instead of splints

Wear the splint AND the boots. Trust me on this one. You do NOT want to roll it again, and you're particularly vulnerable to doing just that, for a long time.

Northwest Dive Club