You should get medical care after a car crash soon—even though you may not feel any pain. Because of the stress, anxiety, and excitement that a car wreck brings, it is common for people to walk away from a motor vehicle accident without realizing they sustained injury. It may take the next day or even a few days later for injury symptoms to develop.
Should you decide to file a personal injury claim at a later date, your early visits to the doctor will play a primary role in an auto insurance company’s decision of whether to compensate you for your damages.
Why Is It Important To Get Medical Care Soon After A Car Crash?
You do not want to jeopardize your health by failing to get a doctor examination after a car accident. If you were involved in a low-speed car accident, you may assume no injuries occurred. But, physical symptoms, such as headaches, stiffness, numbness, and fatigue, that you initially brush off, may later develop into a serious injury.
If you file a personal injury claim sometime later, an insurance claims adjuster may ask why you did not get medical care after the car crash if you claim to have a serious injury. The adjuster may wrongly assume that no serious injury resulted from the crash because you did not seek medical attention immediately. The adjuster can use this as a reason to deny your claim or offer a low settlement.
Should I Accept Medical Treatment At The Accident Scene?
If a medical professional offers treatment at the scene of your accident, it may be in your best interest to take it. Even if you do not feel injured after an automobile accident, consider seeing a doctor.
If you decide to file a personal injury claim at a later date, an insurance company will see that you sought help for your injury immediately after the accident, which can help your claim.
What If I Got Medical Treatment After The Crash But Did Not Go Back For Follow-up Exams As My Doctor Ordered?
You may have good reasons for not keeping your follow-up appointments. Once again, an insurance company may look at your failure to follow up and contend that your injuries are not as serious as you claim or you do not have any injuries at all. Your medical records support your injury claim and your right to recover compensation for your damages.
Can I Recover Compensation For My Injuries If The Other Driver Claims I Was Partially At Fault For The Crash?
If you believe you did not cause—or contribute to—your accident, you can dispute the other driver’s claim. In some instances, the at-fault driver and the driver’s insurance company will try to shift all or part of the blame onto the injured driver, so the insurer will not have to pay much, if anything at all, for a claim.
We recommend that you contact a lawyer if you find yourself facing a challenge from an insurance company. The Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril PLLC can help you with this issue by investigating your accident and determining your role in the crash. Our lawyers handle all aspects of personal injury claims, and we know the tactics insurers use to delay or deny claims.
Can I Submit My Medical Bills With My Damage Claim?
When seeking damages, injury accident victims usually seek compensation for their medical bills. We recommend that you keep all receipts for your out-of-pocket medical expenses. Besides your medical bills, you may also pursue compensation for damages that include:
- Ambulance transportation from the accident scene
- Prescription drugs
- Home health care
- Assistive medical devices
- Lost Wages
- Pain and suffering
We can estimate the total amount of damages that you sustained from your accident.
How Soon After The Accident Should I File A Personal Injury Claim?
Tennessee’s Statute of Limitations gives injury accident victims one year from the date of their accident to file a personal injury claim or a lawsuit. You should know within this time period what type of injuries you suffered.
The sooner you decide to pursue compensation for your damages, the more time a lawyer has to investigate your car accident.
Turn To The Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril PLLC For Help After A Car Accident
If you were injured in a car accident, we can help you file an insurance claim to recover compensation for your damages. Call us at 1-865-546-1111 for a free legal consultation with one of our car accident lawyers.