After a car accident, many victims are stressed and are unsure of how to proceed. If emergency personnel do not believe they need to be transported in an ambulance, you may be left wondering if you should seek medical attention at all. While going to the emergency room can be a hassle and time-consuming, it is always wise to err on the side of caution and seek a medical evaluation following any type of auto accident.
Some injuries may not be readily apparent
Some injuries do not begin presenting signs or symptoms for hours or even days following a car accident. This does not mean, however, that you do not require treatment during this time. For example, a traumatic brain injury (TBI)1 is a common injury in many types of accidents. You may often attribute the disorientation or confusion that can result from a TBI with the simple stress of being involved in a collision. In other situations, you may be aware that you hit your head, but may not notice any symptoms and may not believe the blow to your head was hard enough to cause any damage. In reality, you may have a concussion or a more severe TBI that requires diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment recommendations. Whiplash2 is another common injury in car accidents that may take hours or days to show symptoms.
Even if you do not have symptoms that you notice, a doctor can use medical tests to see if you have any damage or injury. Diagnostic imaging tests can identify damage to brain tissue or the spinal cord, bone fractures, and other acute injuries that may not have serious symptoms presenting. Once an injury is properly diagnosed, you can receive the necessary medical treatment for those injuries.
Diagnosis can help with your legal claim
If another party was responsible for causing your injury, you may be entitled to compensation for medical costs, lost income from missed work, and more. However, it is not enough to simply state you were injured. Instead, in order to be successful in your claim, you must provide sufficient evidence of the specific injuries that you sustained and the treatment you needed. Without a medical diagnosis, proving your injuries can be quite challenging.
Additionally, the opposing party may try to claim that your injuries were actually the result of a subsequent accident or incident. If you delayed seeking treatment until a few days or weeks after the accident, it may be challenging to prove that your injuries were caused by the accident and the negligent party. For these reasons, not only it is important to seek medical attention, but it is imperative to do so in a timely manner even if you are not showing any symptoms.
If you have been diagnosed with an injury and want more information regarding your legal rights, you should contact the Michigan Injury Lawyers at 313-GET-HELP as soon as possible.
References:
1http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/tbi.htm
2http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/whiplash/whiplash.htm