After a car accident, you should absolutely seek medical care.
Seeking medical attention is a vital step after your car accident occurs. With more serious car accident injuries, you may be taken away from the scene of the accident in an ambulance. Severe accident injuries include spinal cord injuries, shattered bones, or amputations. With more minor injuries, you’ll be responsible for making sure that you receive medical care.
Each year, there are approximately six million car accidents in the United States. Out of those accidents, three million people are injured, and two million people experience permanent injuries because of the accidents they were involved in. To reduce the risk of permanent injury, seek medical attention immediately.
Even severe injuries (like traumatic brain injury) may not present until a few days after the accident, as adrenaline may mask the pain you’re feeling. However, even if you’re not in pain after the accident, you still should report to the emergency room or your primary care physician as soon as possible after the accident. Immediate medical attention will not only help prevent any injuries from worsening. It will also prevent the insurance company from dismissing your claim.
If you wait too long to seek medical care after the accident occurs, the insurance company will try to argue that your injuries must not have been too severe. They can also say that your injuries may have been caused by something else not linked to the auto accident. To avoid these dismissive tactics, seek medical attention immediately after the accident.
Your Health History
You’ll want to make sure that you let your doctor know about your health history, including any significant injuries and surgeries you’ve had in the past and any chronic illnesses or diseases you have. If you have a heart condition, asthma, cancer (or have previously had cancer), these are all conditions that are important for your doctor to know.
Disclosing your health history to your doctor will not only help them better treat you. It will also help ensure that insurance companies can’t try to argue that your car accident injuries were because of pre-existing conditions. However, pre-existing conditions may make your injuries worse. For example, people with diabetes heal slowly and are prone to infection. Letting your doctor know about your conditions can help them watch out for any side-effects that may not have occurred otherwise.
How You Were Injured in the Crash
You’ll also want to let them know how you were injured. When you arrive for treatment, don’t just say that it’s because your back is hurting. Tell your doctor that your back is hurting because of an accident you were involved in. Telling them how it happened—from what angle you were hit and what type of accident it was—can help them better treat you. It will also better document your case. When your doctor is asked about your injuries during the discovery process, they can accurately describe how the car accident may have caused those injuries.
Your Treatment Plan
You’ll want to discuss during your first appointment what your medical treatment will look like. Ensure that you stick to the medical care you’re given and follow up when necessary. Deviating from your treatment plan may lead the insurance company to believe that you aren’t taking your treatment seriously, and therefore your injuries can’t be that severe.
If You Can Return to Work
With medical bills piling up, you’ll want to know whether or not you’ll be able to return to work. Ask them to give you a timeframe of when you may be able to return. However, know that it could change depending on how your recovery goes. If you are allowed to work, make sure you understand any limitations you may have. For example, you may not be able to lift over a certain weight or not stand for a certain amount of time.
You must be clear with them about the level of pain you’re feeling. That way they can accurately decide how long you should be out of work. Don’t lie about your pain level so you can return to work. This will only make things worse in the long run for both your injuries and your case.
When You are Projected to Recover
It’s crucial to arm yourself with the knowledge about your future, even if you don’t want to hear it. A clear understanding of your prognosis will help to fuel your determination to stay on track with your treatment plan. It can also help your personal injury lawyers better calculate your total damages.
Be Careful How Much You Tell Them
You have to remember that your doctor is still someone that can be deposed, interrogated, or called as a witness in your case. That means you shouldn’t tell them anything that may contradict what you’ve said to your attorney. Stick to only your case’s facts and don’t admit any fault when speaking about the accident.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney
If you or someone you love has been injured in an auto accident, please contact our talented team of attorneys here at The Eberst Law Firm. With offices in Stuart, Gainesville, and Daytona Beach, Florida. We’re ready to help you get the most compensation possible for your case. Our years of experience will prove invaluable to your claim and quality of life. For more information, please contact us online using our chat box option or by calling us at (772) 225-4900.
