Some Car Accident Injuries Show Up Later
When you’re in a wreck, even if it doesn’t seem to be a major one, your body goes through some incredibly rapid changes. Immediately you’re flooded with endorphins and adrenaline, to chemicals that cause you to be able to function with seemingly superhuman powers. The problem, however, is that these chemicals can override your body’s ability to feel pain. The result is that you may not think you need to see a doctor after a car accident. In order to protect your legal rights, and to make sure that your settlement is one that will actually take care of your needs, your car wreck lawyer has put together a few key points to keep in mind when you’re determining when to see a doctor after your accident.Sustaining Head Injuries in the Accident
A head injury is one of the most common injuries following a car accident. The brain is well protected inside your skull, but a violent collision (which can happen at far slower speeds than most people realize) can cause it to hit the inside of the skull. You can check out our previous blog on the various types of brain injuries to learn more about how these occur.
Any time you hit your head, there’s the possibility that problems will show up days, weeks, and even months later. You should always get medical attention no matter how minor the head injury may seem. Then, contact your car wreck lawyer to get things started so that you receive the settlement you need.
Soft Tissue Injuries in the Accident
You can tell fairly soon after the accident if you have hit your head. Broken bones are also easy to spot. One of the sneakiest injuries, however, is the soft tissue injury. It complicates things further as they don’t show up on x-rays, and rely on you feeling the pain to realize they exist (as we established earlier, this pain might not show up for a while due to the endorphins and adrenaline in your system).
Soft tissue damage can be lumped into any non-visible injury that doesn’t involve bones. Strains or tears in the ligaments, muscles, and tendons result in what can be debilitating injuries that only get worse over time. Because many people feel these are not serious, they skip the doctor visit.
If you want your car wreck lawyer to have an easier time proving your case, get checked out for soft tissue damage. A doctor will know what to look for in the early signs of sprains, strains, contusions (bruises), and whiplash.
How Long Can You Wait to See a Doctor after an Accident?
Humans have a funny way of putting things off for as long as possible. It could be the fact that they don’t like the doctor, or the inconvenience of waiting rooms, or the simple fact that they are embarrassed to have been in the wreck in the first place. No matter what the reason, the sooner you get in and seen, the stronger your car accident lawsuit will be. Most insurance companies agree that within 72 hours is a reasonable time period.
Starting that medical record early is important. The longer you wait, the more opportunity there is for the insurance company to counter your car wreck lawyer’s claims. After all, if two weeks after the accident, you finally get in to have injuries looked at, there’s a higher chance that they aren’t actually serious, or they occurred after the accident took place.
Which Doctor to See Following an Accident
There’s a bit of confusion surrounding the healthcare industry. With so many different specialists, it can be confusing to know which doctor you should go see following an accident.
Do not make an appointment to see your general care doctor. While they do have the training to take care of just about any need that pops up, they likely won’t be able to schedule a visit within 72 hours, and they will have to send you to another specialist anyway.
Do go visit the urgent care, walk-in care, or emergency room. Any of these can handle you immediately, and they are able to get the medical records started so that you can show that you have sought medical care. If there is something serious that requires a specialist, these urgent or emergency care doctors can get you in faster than if you called the specialist directly.
Herbert & Eberstein Your Car Wreck Lawyer in Texas and Oklahoma
When you’re in a car wreck, the insurance company is going to offer the lowest settlement possible. Do not take their initial offer! This is especially true if there are injuries; problems could develop in the future that need to be covered.
Get medical treatment right away in order to start the record that you have sought treatment for injuries sustained in the crash. Then, call your car wreck lawyer Zach Herbert.
Zach works with clients all over Texas and Oklahoma to help them get the compensation they deserve.
Unsure if you have a case? Call 214-414-3808, or fill out our contact form, to start your free, no obligation, initial case review.
