One of the first things you should do after a car accident is to seek medical treatment. Getting attention immediately will ensure that your injuries won’t go unnoticed. Seeing a doctor is not only good for your health. It can help your case if you choose to file a personal injury claim.
Houston Car Accident Attorneys Say Seek Prompt Medical Attention
A Houston, TX auto accident lawyer will tell you that you need to see a doctor for the following reasons..
- If you seek treatment later, it may affect your settlement.Insurance companies can say your injures aren’t severe because you didn’t get medical help immediately. Going days or weeks later can result in your injuries being deemed fake by the party at fault. Failure to go to the hospital right away can see your claim amount reduced or denied entirely.
- Some injuries can take days before they emerge. Head and back injuries may not be noticed immediately after an accident. You could have suffered a traumatic brain injury. This injury occurs when the head suffers a blow. It causes the brain to be damaged. You might not know you suffered a TBI because you may not experience any symptoms. Days later you may experience headaches, dizziness, memory loss and fatigue. If you go to the hospital immediately a TBI can be detected early. Starting treatment on it at the time can prevent it from becoming worse. Seeing a doctor early can also reduce the cost of required treatment. Delayed treatment means the situation has possibly become worse and will need more time and money to correct it.
- You will know the seriousness of your injury. You may have suffered a back injury that could lead to disability or lifelong health issues. The back is very susceptible to injury in a rear-end car accident.. You can experience back pain after your accident. This could be because of a spinal fracture, muscular injuries, disc injuries or facet joint injuries. You cannot know this unless you see a doctor. A medical practitioner will conduct a thorough examination and tell you what injuries you have and what treatment you need. Even if you don’t feel that you have any injuries, still see a doctor for confirmation.
- When you see a doctor he will prepare a medical report on your injuries. This document is very important for your personal injury claim. A Houston, TX car accident attorney will use the medical report to recover damages equivalent to the injuries..Failure to go to the hospital means you won’t have evidence of your injuries from the accident. Without proof of injury, your case will be severely damaged.
What Should I Ask My Doctor After a Houston Car Accident?
When you seek medical attention, you should find out certain things from your doctor. They include:
- The extent of your injuries. Let your doctor tell you clearly the treatment required and the expected recovery time.This may be a difficult discussion particularly if you have severe injures. You should, however, know what’s going on with your body and what you can do to recover quickly.
- The cause of your injury. A doctor can give a lot of details about the possible cause of injuries. A detailed report on your injuries by a doctor can do a lot to show the negligent party is responsible. A doctor may not with certainty say the cause of an injury. However, any medical opinion offered on the possible cause will be much appreciated by a Houston, TX auto accident lawyer.
- Any health issues you may have in the future. After you know the extent of your injuries, find out how they will impact your life. This means knowing if you will have to get long-term treatment or take medication for the rest of your life.. Knowing this information will help your Houston, TX car accident attorney determine the amount you will seek in your claim.
- The likelihood that you can resume work. You will probably have to take some time off work to recover. Some injuries like back and brain injuries can, however, mean you can’t work again. If a doctor states this is the case, your lawyer can ask for loss of income compensation. He can further ask for future loss of earnings in your lawsuit against the negligent driver.
You Need a Good Houston Car Accident Lawyer
A Houston auto accident lawyer has years of experience handling car accident cases. At McDonald Worley, we understand the needs of car accident victims.. We will work hard to get you the largest compensation possible for your injuries. To schedule a free consultation, call our offices today at 1-800-610-2001. Remember, there is no fee charged until we get you a settlement.