Car accidents happen quickly and with no notice. Shock and confusion are very common in the aftermath of a motor vehicle accident. Adrenaline levels spike, which mask pain. Boosted adrenaline levels and a feeling of overwhelming shock can last for hours or even days after a serious motor vehicle accident.
You will easily recognize that you need medical attention when you have an obvious injury like a severe cut or a broken bone. But what if you feel somewhat ok, or seem to be able to move around relatively normally after the accident? Should you seek medical attention?
The answer is yes. Here’s why.
Why Medical Attention After A Car Accident Is So Important
You should get medical attention as soon as possible after an accident—even if you don’t think your injuries are serious, and even if you don’t think you were injured at all.
1. Prompt medical attention is essential to protect your health and well-being.
Consider this:
Stress, anxiety, shock, and adrenaline can increase pain tolerance and make situations feel unreal. You may be seriously injured but not realize it right away.
It’s very common for whiplash, headaches, and muscle pain to go unnoticed at first. Aches and soreness will begin to emerge as the effects of shock and adrenaline wear off.
Swelling and bruising may not appear until 24 to 48 hours after the motor vehicle accident.
Numbness or loss of sensation—which could be a sign of disc herniation or spinal cord damage—must be investigated so you get a proper diagnosis and medical treatment.
You may have internal injuries that you aren’t aware of, such as bleeding, blood clots, organ damage, concussion, or brain injury. Scans and X-rays can detect these types of injuries.
Emotional upset is common after a stressful event like a motor vehicle accident. But it could be a sign of a serious issue, such as a brain injury, concussion, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”).
Failure to notice and treat your injuries can lead to longer recovery times and long-term complications.
Go to your family doctor, the hospital, or the nearest walk-in clinic as soon as possible after the accident so that a medical professional can examine you, send you for necessary testing (X-ray, CT scan, etc.), provide you with a diagnosis, and prescribe medication and treatment that will help you recover from your injuries.
2. Prompt medical attention is crucial to protect your legal rights.
You can bring a personal injury claim against an at-fault driver to get compensation for pain and suffering, wage loss, treatment costs, and other damages. To succeed in a personal injury claim, you must prove several elements, including the nature and extent of your injuries and that your injuries were caused by the motor vehicle accident.
Seeking medical attention immediately after a car accident will protect your legal rights and bolster your personal injury claim. The medical professional(s) you see will document the date of the visit and the nature and extent of your injuries. Those medical records can then be used to prove the causal connection between your injuries and the motor vehicle accident. Each time you see your doctor or receive treatment, it creates a record of the symptoms you were experiencing and the injuries you suffered.
If you fail to seek prompt medical attention, you can expect several arguments from the at-fault driver and their insurance company:
You weren’t really injured because you didn’t get medical attention.
You are lying about being injured and motivated by financial gain.
If a lot of time passes before you get medical treatment, they will say the accident didn’t cause the injuries you are complaining of; something else must have caused or worsened your symptoms.
If you don’t see a doctor or fail to follow treatment/rehabilitation recommendations made by your doctor, they will say you failed to mitigate your injuries and losses. Failure to mitigate means you are partially responsible for your medical status and your financial compensation will be reduced as a result.
Those types of arguments can have a serious negative impact on your personal injury compensation. Personal injury lawyers understand how stressful the aftermath of an accident can be. If the insurance company denies your claim or says you share some of the blame because you didn’t seek medical attention, reach out to us. We will advocate on your behalf to overcome those arguments and help you build a strong personal injury claim.
Get Legal Advice from An Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer in Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie law firm Feifel Gualazzi specializes in motor vehicle accident claims. No matter what your injury, we can help you get the maximum compensation you’re entitled to.
Don’t wait to get medical attention and legal advice. Contact Feifel Gualazzi today to discuss your case with one of our personal injury lawyers.