The Importance of Seeking Medical Care After a Car Accident
San Diego Car Accident Attorneys
When you are involved in a car accident, your first priority should be to seek medical attention for your injury. Even if you do not feel like you have been injured or you know your injury is fairly minor, get yourself to a doctor within a reasonable period of time and have him or her examine you for any injuries. This is important for a few reasons, all of which can affect your physical and financial recovery should you decide to file a car accident claim or a personal injury lawsuit.
Only after you have received appropriate medical care should you think about seeking financial compensation for your losses through a personal injury claim. When you are at this stage, contact an experienced car accident attorney to discuss your case and determine the right legal strategy for your specific situation. Until then, keep the following in mind as you work through your diagnosis and treatment and move on your path towards recovery.
Some Injuries Are Invisible
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are not visible to an outside observer. However, they can lead to serious and often long-term consequences if they are left untreated. This is why it is absolutely critical that you seek medical care for your injury in a timely manner – you could be suffering from an injury without witnessing any symptoms.
A traumatic brain injury can have symptoms like nausea, fatigue, confusion, dizziness, sleeping too much or too little, and irritability, among many others. Sometimes, these are only noticeable by the people who come into regular contact with the victim, such as his or her family. On occasion, they may not be noticeable to an outside observer, yet may be devastating to the life of the victim.
Some Injuries Are Only Apparent if Left Untreated
Like the invisible injuries discussed above, some injuries are not apparent until they progress to a later stage – for example, stress fractures. A stress fracture is a small break in the bone that can occur if the individual suffers trauma to the bone. If left untreated, repeat trauma on the fracture can cause the bone to break completely.
Waiting too long to receive medical care for your injury can mean having to treat it at a later stage, requiring more intensive treatment and keeping you out of work longer and missing out on lost wages.
Failing to Receive Medical Care can Hurt your Claim
Do not give the negligent party’s insurance provider any reason to believe you do not truly need the monetary compensation you are seeking. Seek medical attention as soon as you can after you are injured in a car accident and document the date of that and every other appointment you make with your healthcare provider. This will help bolster your claim should you decide eventually to pursue compensation for the injuries you suffered in your automobile accident.
Your Recovery Will be Easier if you Seek Medical Care
The sooner you begin treating your injury, the better chance you have of making a full, efficient recovery. This is because your injury can be treated before it advances to a later stage. It is also because showing that you sought medical care in a timely manner and showing your expenses related to it will strongly support your claim, making it more likely that you will receive the compensation you are seeking. With an adequate amount of money to spend on your treatment, you will be able to focus on your recovery completely, rather than attempting to work while injured or causing yourself undue stress. By receiving a sufficient settlement amount, you can have peace of mind as you work through your medical treatments and physical therapy to become healthy again.
San Diego Car Accident Attorneys
If you have been injured in a car accident, you could be entitled to monetary compensation for your losses. To receive this compensation, you need to file a personal injury claim with the liable party’s automobile insurance provider. Work with an experienced San Diego car accident attorney to determine whether you have a valid personal injury claim, and if so, to file and pursue it. Contact Martinez & Schill LLP today at 619-512-5995 to schedule your free legal consultation with our firm. During this consultation, we will answer any questions you have about the personal injury claim process and determine the best way to proceed with your claim.
It is also important to be aware that the statute of limitations in California dictates the amount of time you have to file a claim to recover compensation; to be sure, filing a claim outside of this time period will likely be impossible. As such, please make sure to contact our attorneys in a timely manner to ensure you are eligible to recover the compensation you are due.
