How Soon You Should See a Medical Professional Following Your Accident
After being involved in a car accident, many individuals are hesitant to see a doctor, in hopes the injuries will take care of themselves. This is often done because the individual wishes to avoid expensive medical costs, and possibly because he or she is trying to avoid having to go to a doctor’s office at all. Is it smart to wait? Is there a time limit for which you have to see a medical professional? The following should shed some light on the issue.
A Worsening Condition
You don’t want your condition to get worse by waiting to see a medical professional. For example, if you don’t have any outward injuries, you may assume you’re just fine. Seeing the doctor just in case is a good idea because he or she may find internal issues. Problems such as internal bleeding could get worse over time, resulting in serious health issues that are more costly, more time-consuming and riskier.
If you were in a car accident, it’s best to get checked out by the responding paramedics, and if needed, visit the emergency room. If emergency care isn’t necessary, you should schedule a visit with your primary care physician in the next few days.
Issues with Insurance
In some cases, your insurance company may put a cap on the amount of time you have to file a claim and receive compensation. If you wait too long before filing the claim, you may forfeit your right to that money. If you haven’t seen a doctor and aren’t aware of any injuries, you won’t be able to make that deadline. Personal Injury Protection is one example. PIP requires that an injured person is checked out by a medical professional within two weeks from the time of the accident. If that doesn’t happen, PIP may not pay for any medical costs.
Lost Evidence
The sooner you see a medical professional after your accident, the sooner you will be able to find out the physical implications of the incident. For example, if you are in a car accident and don’t seek medical help, you could have an unknown broken bone. It’s possible you could fall and get injured after the accident, for which you would seek medical attention. It’s possible the court will side with the other driver of your car accident, claiming the broken bone was a result of your fall, rather than from the original accident. If you see a doctor immediately, those situations can be avoided.
Acting Right Away
Any time you are in a car accident, it could be best to get medical care and legal help right away. Act now by calling a lawyer, like a car accident lawyer from The Law Firm of Frederick J. Brynn, P.C., today.