The Importance Of Seeking Medical Treatment After An Accident
Going through an accident is often a stressful ordeal. Your first order of business should be to seek medical attention. Doing so will both ensure your well-being and give you a crucial edge in a personal injury claim, should you decide to pursue one.
Medical Care Prioritizes Your Well-Being
The most vital reason you should seek medical attention as soon as you can after an accident is to look for and/or treat any injuries you may have received. Even if you don’t think you’re seriously injured, seeking medical attention is essential. Certain injuries aren’t immediately obvious, such as certain internal injuries. They require a medical professional to identify and treat them. Failing to receive medical care can hinder your recovery by exacerbating known or unknown injuries and it will also make your personal injury claim worth less money.
Medical Care Creates Valuable Documentation
When it comes to personal injury claims, proper documentation is vital. You should seek medical treatment so there is an evidentiary record in the form of medical bills, medical records, and summaries of care from medical professionals. This is evidence and it supports your claim for injuries.
You should take photographs of your injuries and document all of your medical appointments, prescriptions, and treatments so you can help support your claim. If you wait to get help, the insurance company may argue that you weren’t actually injured.
Follow The Medical Advice Given To You
A lawyer, like a motorcycle accident lawyer, will tell you that the success of your recovery and your personal injury claim depends on many factors. One of those is following the medical advice given to you by your treating physicians. Make sure that you attend your follow-up appointments, take any prescribed medications, and follow the doctor’s recommended treatment plan.
What To Know About Pre-existing Conditions
An accident often intensifies and compounds pre-existing conditions. This is another reason why you should seek medical care after an accident. It could help you to avoid exacerbating any pre-existing condition. It is also important to document the injuries you have and their relationship to existing medical conditions. You must always be honest with your care providers regarding your preexisting medical conditions.
Failing to disclose pre-existing conditions to your healthcare provider will make care difficult and will at best complicate your personal injury claim; at worst it could render your personal injury claim worthless. The insurance company will be able to convincingly argue that if you aren’t honest and upfront with your doctor you can’t be trusted to differentiate between injuries sustained in the accident and your pre-existing conditions. This can make seeking compensation exceedingly difficult.
Take Care Of Yourself And Your Case
It can be tempting to simply “walk it off.” You don’t want to deal with the insurance company, visits to the doctor’s office, and other activities that certainly take time out of your life. But now you understand just how important it is to get the care you need for yourself and to help support your personal injury case. Our friends at Herschensohn Law Firm, PLLC can’t stress the importance of seeking medical care enough after an accident. To see how you can use your medical care as evidence, get in touch with your local law office for help.