Why You Should See a Doctor Immediately After Your Accident
After you’ve been in an accident, it’s vital that you visit a medical expert—not just for your own health and wellbeing, but also so that all of your injuries can be documented for future insurance claims.
Skipping this crucial step—even if you feel fine—could cost you big in the future.
What Happens if I Don’t See a Doctor After a Crash?
As it turns out, refusing to see a doctor after your crash or injury is one of the biggest mistakes people make in California personal injury claims.
Some of the ramifications of turning down medical treatment include…
Further Injury
It’s all too common for accident victims to walk away from the accident feeling fine. But in many cases, your pain is being masked by all the adrenaline flowing through your body. Just a few days more, and you might be in unbearable pain.
This is especially true for head and neck injuries, where symptoms may not manifest until weeks or even months later.
Life-threatening injuries like hematomas and hemorrhages may only be identified by a doctor, making it critical that you see a medical professional as soon as possible.
Insurance Claim Denials
There are often time limits put in place by insurance companies that determine whether or not your medical care will be covered. In some cases, waiting just 72 hours after your accident to seek medical attention may cause your coverage to be denied.
In these cases, your insurance company may try to say that your injuries are preexisting or unrelated to your crash—yes, even injuries you’re treating 3 days after a crash.
Diminished or Loss of Evidence
People who visit the emergency room after a crash will likely go through many tests—tests that are valuable to your insurance claim because they paint of picture of your exact condition immediately after the crash.
The documentation you receive after your visit can be used as hard proof as you seek compensation for your injuries, and not undergoing these tests could mean losing out on a substantial amount of compensation.
Unfair Settlements
It’s no secret that insurance companies will do everything in their power to reduce the size of your payout. Receiving immediate medical attention is one way to make the insurance company far more cooperative, seeing as you now have proof of your condition.
Still, insurance companies make money by taking calculated risks and saving expenses wherever possible, and that includes making unreasonable offers to people like you.
Without medical documentation, you’re setting yourself up to be taken advantage of.
Visiting a Doctor Makes Your Claim Stronger
Nobody likes going to the doctor, but documentation from your visit will become your new best friend should you need to move forward with a California personal injury claim.
Keep meticulous records of every single medical visit you make that’s connected to your accident. That includes visits to therapists, surgeons, anyone who might be relevant to your case.
After each visit, record information about your doctor, the reason for your visit, how much you paid, and what was discussed.
If the insurance company refuses to play ball, it may be time to hire a California personal injury attorney.
Luckily, we’re also able to get our clients exceptional healthcare to help with their injuries while we build our case, meaning we’ll sort out your medical bills while we figure out how to win your maximum payout.
Don’t let the insurance company play games with you—if they don’t offer a fair amount for your insurance claim, it’s time to get serious. Give us a call or fill out the form below, and let’s get started.
