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Injured victims might be unsure of what to do after a car crash. At Arash Law, our goal is to help you protect your health and legal rights after a car accident, truck accident, bicycle accident, motorcycle accident, pedestrian accident, or other type of motor vehicle accident. Call (888) 488-1391 to schedule your free initial consultation with our California car accident lawyers. Consulting with a lawyer can be helpful if youโre planning to pursue a claim for compensation against the at-fault parties.
When To See A Doctor After A Car Accident
If you are severely injured in a motor vehicle accident, it is easy to make the decision to go to the emergency department in an ambulance and get medical care right away. However, it is more challenging to know what to do if your injuries donโt appear to be serious. Just because you were able to walk away from a car accident doesnโt mean you were not injured in the crash. It is essential to consult a doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions or injuries.
Prompt medical attention is important not only for your health but also because insurance companies often consider how quickly you sought treatment when evaluating your claim and potential compensation.
Delays can make it harder to connect injuries to the crash and may affect your claim. If you can’t see your primary care physician within that time, make it clear to your doctorโs staff that there has been an accident, and your need for care is urgent. If they are still unable to book an appointment, there are other options for seeing a doctor. There are many urgent care clinics in Southern California.
Why It Is Important To Get Treatment Within 72 Hours of An Accident
A common mistake people make after a vehicle accident is waiting to seek medical care. Insurance companies refer to this as a โdelay in treatment,โ and there are two critical reasons why this is a mistake:
You Are Putting Your Health At Risk
Some injury victims think they donโt need to see a doctor. This is especially true in a less severe accident, such as a fender bender. With that said, even a minor accident can cause lasting pain and injuries. Healthcare professionals are trained to identify these โlatent injuriesโ that might not be obvious after an accident. By identifying this type of injury, you can seek appropriate treatment and provide important documentation to support your claim against the negligent driver.
You May Weaken Your Ability To Seek Compensation
Insurance companies often use claims evaluation software that flags delays in medical treatment after an accident. Such delays can result in a lower automatic valuation for your claim, and adjusters may use this reduced amount as the basis for negotiation. In some cases, a significant delay in treatment may even result in a denial of your claim.
What If My Accident Injuries Donโt Show Up Right Away?
While some injuries, such as broken bones and open wounds, may be immediately apparent after a car accident, others can take some time to show up. This does not mean you should wait to see a doctor. Seeing a medical professional right after an accident can help with proper diagnosis and treatment. If symptoms show up later, you can go back for follow-up visits or consultations, but getting immediate treatment is important in supporting your case.
Common Types Of Latent Injuries After A Car Accident
Car Accidents Can Cause Severe Concussions
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBIs occur when the brain receives some kind of trauma. In car accidents, the head can have several points of impact. It may hit the windshield or seatback. Even if your head doesnโt strike anything in the vehicle, the brain can still hit the skull during the collision. This force could be enough to cause a TBI. Because car accidents are usually at least somewhat disorienting, some patients may not realize they are experiencing concussion symptoms.
These can include:
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Amnesia
- Seeing โstarsโ
- Momentary loss of consciousness.
- Nausea
- Headache
- Balance issues
- Ringing in the ears.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms after an accident, you may have a concussion. This is a potentially life-threatening medical condition. It is essential to see a doctor. If you have already seen a doctor but did not discuss the possibility of a concussion, schedule a follow-up appointment. For those injured as pedestrians, speaking with pedestrian accident lawyers can also help you understand your legal rights after a head injury.
Car Accidents Can Cause Serious Soft Tissue Injuries
Another issue that may develop in the days after a car accident is a soft tissue injury. These injuries affect the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissue. They can cause severe pain and even mobility issues if left untreated. Soft tissue injuries often do not show up on an X-ray.
7 Delayed Injury Symptoms You Should Not Ignore After A Car Accident
- Headache โ Headaches are a common symptom to experience after a car accident. They are often harmless and resolve on their own after a couple of days. Sometimes, however, a headache can be a symptom of a much more severe underlying medical condition. Blood clots in the brain, injuries to the neck or head, and serious concussions can all be signaled by headaches.
- Neck and Shoulder Pain โ Pain in the neck and shoulders is a common symptom of whiplash, one of the common injuries sustained in a car accident. You may feel this pain right away, but sometimes the symptoms can take days to develop. See your doctor if you begin to notice pain or stiffness around your head, neck, or shoulders.
- Back Pain โ Back pain can be a symptom of a herniated disc, a soft tissue injury, a spinal injury, a sprain, a pinched nerve, or whiplash. These conditions can become worse if they are left untreated. Pain can limit your mobility and interfere with your daily life.
- Numbness โ Numbness is another common symptom of whiplash. According to the North American Spine Society, arm pain and heaviness can be caused by nerve compression from a herniated disc. This can also be experienced as numbness. These conditions are part of whiplash and whiplash-associated disorder.
- Abdominal Pain โ The trauma of a car accident can cause damage to your internal organs. Abdominal pain after a car accident can be a sign of internal bleeding. Large areas of bruising, dizziness, and fainting are also symptoms of internal bleeding. This condition can quickly become life-threatening. Timing is critical. Bleeding (whether internal or external) can cause a patient to go into shock and even die if it is left untreated.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder โ Post-traumatic stress disorder is a series of psychological symptoms that occur as a result of trauma. Though many may associate PTSD with combat and other dramatic situations, it can also be associated with car accidents. A study reported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found that car accidents are a common source of trauma for both men and women.
- Behavioral Changes โ Changes in your personality or behavior could be a sign of a brain injury. Impaired thinking or memory, movement, problems with vision or hearing, depression, or personality changes are all warning signs of a brain injury. Behavioral changes can also be the result of a psychological condition such as PTSD. In either case, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible so you can determine the cause and treat the injury.
Like delays in treatment, gaps in your medical treatment can also cause problems with the insurance company. Follow through with all recommendations made by your medical providers. Doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, and other professionals are trained to diagnose and treat your injuries properly. Speak to them about any concerns you have with your treatment.
How To Manage An Insurance Claim
- Take detailed notes of your injuries and the medical treatment you receive. Write down the names and contact information for all medical providers you visit as a result of the accident. This includes doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, and other professionals you are referred to after the accident.
- Keep receipts for all medications you take, whether prescription or over-the-counter, as well as any assistive devices you use. This might include crutches, back braces, slings, bandages, and other medical supplies.
- Maintain a journal or diary about your injuries and medical care. Be specific about everything. Include such details as your degree of pain on a scale from 1-10, the amount of sleep you are getting, and any other inconvenience you experience from your injuries.
- Keep all communication you have with medical professionals about your injuries. This includes emails, notes, calendars, appointment reminders, and other documentation of your medical care.
- Keep track of travel expenses for medical appointments.
When Should I See A Lawyer After A Car Accident?
As with medical care, you can consider consulting a personal injury lawyer after an auto accident. Any statement you make on the scene, over the phone to the insurance company, or on social media may cause disputes during the claims process. An experienced California personal injury attorney can help you address any disputes and advocate for your rights.
Of course, first tend to your medical needs. See a doctor promptly after an accident. Follow their recommendations and get the necessary rest. Then, consider meeting with a car accident lawyer. Once the insurance company is notified that you have an attorney, they are not allowed to contact you about the accident. We can handle communications with insurers and manage the necessary paperwork on your behalf.
Let our experienced car accident attorneys handle your legal claim so that you can focus on your recovery. You donโt need to wait until you are done with your medical treatment to meet with a lawyer. Sometimes, medical treatment can take months or even years. Since Californiaโs statute of limitations generally only gives you two years to file a claim, you may wish to consult a lawyer as soon as you are medically stable and able to do so. Your attorney can begin working on your case while you continue your treatment.
Speak With A California Car Accident Lawyer
It is important to consult with both a doctor and an attorney after any auto accident. Schedule your free initial consultation with a California auto accident lawyer by calling (888) 488-1391. The experienced car accident lawyers at Arash Law have years of experience assisting clients in a wide range of personal injury claims. We help connect them with medical providers experienced in treating car accident victims. We also assist them with the insurance process and represent their interests at every stage of their cases.
