Car accidents are some of the most disorienting incidents an individual can experience; they can leave many physically and emotionally worse for wear. No matter the severity of the incident, we urge you to seek medical attention immediately after a car accident, and we will break down the key reasons why.
If you are hurt in an accident, seek medical attention immediately.
If you have been in an accident and are injured, do not wait to seek medical attention. Do not leave the scene of an accident before seeking help. If you have been hurt in an accident, do not be afraid to ask for help or assistance with getting medical treatment.
If necessary, don't be afraid to ask someone at the scene of your accident to call 911 for you and request that an ambulance be sent immediately. While it can be easy to identify external injuries, severe internal injuries can be fatal if left untreated and harder to detect for untrained individuals.
Building A Case
While the most crucial reason behind seeking medical attention is to help ensure you are safe after an accident, it is to help build your legal case. While you should focus on recovery, seeking medical attention is an almost passive way to build your case ahead of time.
Being seen by medical professionals allows doctors to document your injuries and determine if they are consistent with what happened in the crash. If there are inconsistencies, they may indicate that someone else was responsible for causing them or making them worse than they would have been otherwise.
Without proper documentation of an accident, it may be difficult later to prove the severity of injuries to both insurance companies and, potentially, in cases seeking compensation against the party responsible for the accident. We know medical care is not cheap, which can be a factor when weighing your options.
If the car accident has left you without any critical injury, you may consider the option of vising an urgent care to see a medical professional still and avoid the potential fees of visiting the ER. This choice comes down to your assessment after a crash, and we advise that for any serious injuries, go to the hospital to seek proper care. Whether at an urgent care or the ER, your accident will be officially documented by medical professionals.
Evidence Supports Your Case
Medical records are important evidence that can be used in court to help build a case for compensation if someone else was at fault for the crash. Medical records also detail how badly you were and other injuries that may have occurred during or after the accident. If you didn't seek medical attention at the time of your injury, it could be more difficult for an attorney to win their case on your behalf because there wouldn't be any proof that it happened!
You may question how it can be challenging to prove your injuries if they are pretty visible, but consider that from an outside perspective, such as a judge, without proper medical documentation, it can be hard to determine whether your visible injuries are related to the crash or a separate event.
It is better to get the medical documentation ahead of time instead of scrambling for consultation later on when your injuries fade.
Injuries from accidents can be devastating and life-changing. The sooner you seek treatment for your injuries, the better.
The Law Office of George P. Escobedo & Associates, PLLC is here to help you with your legal questions with the care you deserve. Call (210) 807-3178 today to schedule a consultation.