A car accident can be a traumatizing experience that results in serious injuries. In addition to the physical injuries that you might suffer, there is often the additional hardship of the financial burden associated with a car accident. Damage to your vehicle, lost wages due to an inability to work as you recover from your injuries, and the stress of dealing with the insurance claims process can all add to the stress of a car accident. Although it might be tempting to brush off your injuries and assume that you can handle the aftermath, it is always advisable to see a medical professional for an evaluation right away.
Seek Medical Attention As Soon as Possible After a Car Accident
Although you might be preoccupied with other things on your mind, in the event of a car accident, it is advisable to seek medical attention as soon as you possibly can. Some people might assume that their injuries are not that serious and that they do not require help from a medical professional. While this might seem like a sound decision at the time of the accident, many injuries can take hours, days, or even weeks to present symptoms. For example, the symptoms of whiplash, a common injury for those involved in a car accident, often escalate days after the impact of the crash. Therefore, even if you don’t think that your injuries warrant medical attention, it is best to be safe and see what your doctor has to say.
Medical Treatment is Essential to Proving Your Injuries
After a car accident, take these steps to protect your legal rights to compensation:
- Document your injuries with photos or videos, if possible
- Seek medical attention – depending on your condition, this could be a visit to the hospital emergency room, urgent care, or a general medical practitioner
- Collect your medical exam records and notes from your doctor
- Contact a Pomona car accident attorney to discuss your next steps
There are several critical reasons that it is essential to seek medical treatment after a car accident, and one of the most significant reasons is that your medical documentation will be an important part of your insurance claim. As your attorney is starting to assess the value of your claim, they will look to put together all the damages and costs of your accident.
One of the largest expenses resulting from many car accidents is the cost of incurring and recovering from an injury. To fight for your right to compensation for your injuries, your personal injury attorney will collect your medical documentation to show the medical expenses that are related to the accident. Insurance companies are businesses that are looking to make a profit, and they are notorious for attempting to reduce the compensation that they offer for car accident claims.
If you attempt to attest that you were seriously injured in an accident and require compensation for your medical expenses, it will be critical to show documentation that your injuries were treated right away after the accident. Without these medical records, the insurance company might attempt to claim your injuries must not be that serious, or that they were not even related to the accident.
