Personal Injury | June 15, 2022

Why is it Important to Seek Medical Treatment After an Accident?

Accidents and injuries can happen in an instant - and usually when you least expect them. In many instances, people underestimate their injuries, try to “tough it out,” or wonder whether or not they need to see a doctor. If you’re injured you should strongly consider seeing a doctor.

Is It Mandatory That I See a Doctor After an Accident?

After a car accident or any other type of injury-causing incident, it would be prudent to strongly consider seeing a doctor, to protect your health and ensure you have an understanding of your injuries and treatment, and ensure you are regaining your health as quickly as possible. Not only will the medical treatment assist you in your recovery, but the medical records that flow from your treatment will also be utilized to present evidence of your injury claim. Insurance companies will not often just take your word that you were injured - you will have to provide your medical records as proof of the injuries you suffered, your diagnoses, and the cost of your medical expenses.

Should I Get Medical Treatment Immediately After an Accident?

This would of course depend on the severity of what had just occurred. If you or someone else involved was seriously injured, then one should strongly consider getting care immediately to provide medical assistance and to rule out any life-threatening issues. Some people need ambulance transportation due to the concern or for serious injuries.   Still, whether you are in a life-or-death situation or not, you should consider medical assistance as soon as possible for any suspected injuries. If you wait there is a potential that your symptoms may worsen,  and it could possibly hurt your claim for damages where you delayed getting care too long in the insurance company’s eyes.   First, if your injuries get worse and you need additional medical treatment because you waited to get help, the insurance company might try to claim that you failed to mitigate your losses. The insurer of the liable party might reduce your settlement offer to discount the additional treatment costs you incurred.   Further, the longer it takes to receive a medical diagnosis, the harder it might be to prove your claim. To receive compensation, you must prove that the accident in question was the cause of your injuries. Consider the following:  

1. If you are in a car accident and get a diagnosis of a brain injury that same day, it is commonly accepted that the crash caused your injury.
2. If you think you are simply “out of it” from the accident and do not seek treatment until a week later, the insurance company might argue that you fell or something else happened during that week to cause your brain injury, or simply that it just wasn’t that bad.

  Where one prioritizes their health and seeks the care they need to fully recover, they are not only setting themselves up for success from a health standpoint but some of the concerns aforementioned will be minimized.  Recovering one’s health following an injury-causing incident, is in our view, the most important consideration.

Call Our Reputable Enumclaw Personal Injury Attorneys Today

Don’t hesitate to contact us today at Anderson Law | Injury Attorneys if you have suffered injuries in an accident and believe someone else was to blame. If you have been diagnosed with injuries from an accident, our trusted attorneys will give you the legal help you need to seek total compensation for your medical bills and other losses.

The information contained on this website is intended for informational purposes only, and is not legal advice. Nothing in this website establishes an attorney-client relationship between us. Different facts can dramatically affect a legal opinion. You should consult an attorney for legal advice that pertains to your personal situation.