In most cases, you should see a doctor after a car accident. Some serious injuries may not show immediate symptoms, but prompt diagnosis and treatment are often critical to ensuring you make a full and fast recovery. Seeing a doctor immediately after a crash can also protect your potential personal injury claim.
If you were injured in a recent motor vehicle crash, a Columbus car accident lawyer can evaluate your case, examine your medical records, and determine who should pay for your damages. In most cases, the liable party should cover the cost of your doctor’s appointment and any other medical care you require after a crash.
Why Should You See a Doctor After a Car Accident?
You should see a doctor after a car accident for several reasons, including:
Protecting Your Health
The adrenaline you experience from a car crash can mask the symptoms of injuries. Even fender-benders can cause potentially serious harm, such as:
- Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Nerve damage
- Internal bleeding
- Soft tissue injuries
- Back or neck injuries
Additionally, receiving prompt treatment can prevent a minor injury from turning into a serious or chronic one.
Protecting your health should be your highest priority after a car crash, and visiting a doctor is a huge part of that.
Gaining Peace of Mind
Car accidents can cause more than physical harm. These events are stressful and often lead to mental and emotional distress. When you receive a medical evaluation soon after a crash, you can have peace of mind that you have prioritized your health and well-being, and you are not likely to wake up tomorrow morning in extreme pain or with a serious medical issue that you failed to address after the accident.
Additionally, doctors can often recognize the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder or other common consequences of a distressing event like a motor vehicle accident. If you need mental health assistance, they can provide you with a referral to get the care you need.
Connecting the Accident to Your Injuries
Many insurance companies will require you to see a doctor promptly after an accident if you want compensation for your losses. If you wait to seek medical attention, the insurer could state that your injuries were from some other event or a preexisting condition, leading the adjuster to deny or undervalue your claim.
Seeking prompt medical care can act as proof that your injuries are directly connected to the accident.
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What if You Don’t Want to Pay for a Doctor’s Visit?
If covering your medical debt is a concern, you should be aware that Ohio is an at-fault car insurance state. In most car accident cases, you won’t have to pay anything to visit the doctor. Under this insurance system, the at-fault party’s insurance company will be responsible for covering your medical bills.
Avoiding the doctor out of fear of medical debt could make things worse, both physically and financially. Many injuries worsen without proper care, and delaying treatment for an injury could create serious complications later. If you experience a worsening condition, your medical care bills will likely be much higher than had you seen a doctor immediately after the accident and started a treatment program early. And your chances of a full and speedy recovery may also decline if you postpone your visit.
Plus, the insurance companies could deny or devalue your claim, stating you made things worse by not seeing a doctor immediately.
In short, avoiding the doctor is not worth the risk. If your doctor examines you and concludes you don’t have any serious injuries, that’s great! But it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
How Do Car Accident Attorneys Help Injury Victims?
In addition to seeing a doctor soon after a car accident in Ohio, we encourage you to contact our personal injury law firm to explore your options for recovering compensation for your losses. Along with getting coverage for your medical bills, you may qualify for a range of economic and non-economic damages, including:
- Current and future lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Mental and emotional harm
When you hire our team at The Fitch Law Firm LLC, we will conduct a thorough investigation of your auto accident and handle your claim from start to finish. Your Columbus personal injury lawyer and the rest of our team will:
- Serve you with respect and compassion
- Personalize your injury claim to your unique goals and needs
- Be available 24/7 to answer your questions
- Visit you at home or the hospital if you can’t come to us
- Gather evidence of the at-fault party’s negligence and your damages
- File an insurance claim with the liable party’s insurance provider
- Submit your car accident lawsuit before the statute of limitations deadline
- Negotiate with the insurance adjuster on your behalf
- Take your case to court if we cannot reach a fair settlement agreement
We have obtained over $150 million on behalf of our clients, including some of the highest personal injury case verdicts in Ohio history. We want to help you secure the compensation you deserve, and we hope you’ll place your trust in us to deliver the best possible outcome to your case.
Let Our Legal Team Help With Your Car Accident Claim Today
We strongly encourage you to see a doctor after a car accident. If you don’t take an ambulance to the hospital, you can go to the emergency room or an urgent care clinic. In the case of a minor accident, you may prefer to schedule an appointment with your primary care physician. Either way, your health is too important to put at risk.
If you experienced medical bills, lost wages, property damage, or other losses in a recent Ohio car accident, our team can handle your legal claim while you recover. We work on contingency, so you’ll only pay us if we recover compensation for you. To learn more and get started on your claim, contact The Fitch Law Firm LLC for a free initial consultation.
