All vehicle accidents are traumatic events. Even when a traffic accident involves vehicles traveling at low speeds, it is still a traumatic event. A car accident attorney knows it may seem minor, but it could have a major impact on a person’s life. The drivers and passengers involved may not feel anything is wrong with them. Should they not get examined by a physician soon after the accident, it could be a big mistake. There are many kinds of injury symptoms that may not appear for days. Not getting medical attention after a vehicle accident could make it more difficult for an accident victim to receive fair compensation. Insurance companies will use this against you to reduce or eliminate your claim, by inferring that your injuries were not from your car accident because you did not need or receive medical attention directly after your accident.
Get Medical Attention
There are two main reasons an accident victim should get immediate medical attention after their vehicle accident. It could prevent or decrease the impact of any possible injuries. Getting prompt medical care can also strengthen an accident victim’s injury case. It is a way to prove the accident is responsible for their injuries.
*Brain Injuries – They are not always obvious and have the potential to be serious. Traumatic brain injuries or a concussion can happen when a body is jolted. A person’s brain will hit the inside of their skull with significant force. Brain injury symptoms are often subtle. They can involve things like unusual sleep patterns, headache, dizziness, blurry vision as well as nausea and more.
*Block Pain – When an individual is involved in a vehicle accident, their body will generate adrenaline and endorphins. This will temporarily block pain and hide an injury.
*Soft Tissue Injuries – These may not happen for days after an injury. Vehicle accidents often involve a significant amount of force being placed on susceptible parts of the body as well as stress on the joints. These injuries may decrease a range of motion and involve pain, swelling and more. In many cases, it could take several days or even weeks for the complete scope of injuries to be known. Many of these injuries don’t show on an X-ray. This means they are difficult to document as well as diagnose. Immediate treatment can illustrate how these injuries are connected to a vehicle accident.
Choosing A Physician
It is important to find a doctor who is experienced in treating vehicle accident victims. It is recommended not to trust a primary care physician to do what is best for a vehicle accident victim’s case. They may not properly document or treat certain injuries. A physician experienced with vehicle accident victims will know how to properly document the long-term effects of a person’s injuries in their medical records. A car accident attorney is an excellent source in recommending and knowing which injury specialist can assist you in providing excellent care while properly documenting the injuries from your car accident.
Letter of Protection (LOP)
A Letter of Protection (LOP) is a letter sent by a personal injury attorney to a medical professional. It states the attorney is representing an accident victim needing medical services. The LOP allows the medical provider to provide medical services to the client, and to receive payment for those services in the future out of the recovery obtained in the injury case. In many cases, getting medical services with a LOP often works out better than client’s attempting to obtain medical services through their own medical insurance. Often the LOP will allow injured persons to obtain medical attention promptly without being challenged or limited by their own medical insurance company.
Medical Records
This is the most important evidence an insurance adjuster will use to evaluate the scope of a person’s injuries and more. The objective third party notes provided play a major role in their determinations. It is important to be honest with a treating physician, but it is also important to know they can write down anything that is said. Things that could be used later against an accident victim.
Even if someone doesn’t intend to make an injury claim after a vehicle accident, they should still seek medical attention as soon as possible. This will document the accident victim did seek medical care within a reasonable amount of time. Should anyone have questions about what they should do after a vehicle accident, they can speak with an experienced car accident attorney to learn how best to proceed.
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