If you have just been in a car accident and you have any feeling that something is “off” physically, or if you are experiencing any level of pain, it’s important to schedule an appointment with a doctor right away.
Even if symptoms do not manifest themselves immediately after the accident, it can still be helpful to schedule a doctor’s visit just to be on the safe side, as some injury symptoms take some time to show up. This will help you address a possible medical issue promptly while covering your bases should you need to seek legal action in the future.
Medical reasons
This part should go without saying — you need to make sure you are physically OK after a car accident. Crashes can provide quite a shock to your system, placing considerable force on your body in a very compact amount of time. Depending on where the force came from, how you were sitting and how you braced yourself, that force could impact your body in different ways.
Keep in mind that certain chemicals in your body can mask pain and discomfort in the immediate period after such a high-stress incident. Thus, you should not necessarily believe you escaped without any injury just because you don’t feel something right away.
Legal reasons
If you fail to get treatment immediately after an accident and then file a personal injury claim, the defense’s attorneys could attempt to cast doubt on the legitimacy of your injuries by arguing that you did not prioritize medical treatment. They may claim that your own delay in getting medical attention immediately led to your pain and suffering. Insurance companies may also assume that you were not significantly hurt if you did not visit a doctor right away.
To that end, for both medical and legal reasons, you should always visit a medical professional as soon as you can after a car crash. For further guidance, meet with a knowledgeable Bradenton auto accident lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh.