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Following a car accident, it's vital that you seek medical attention, even if you feel you haven't been injured in the auto accident, as some accident injuries, such as internal bleeding or brain injuries, may not show symptoms but be fatal if not treated.
When Should You Go to the Hospital After a Car Accident?
Following a car accident, knowing whether or not you need to seek medical attention is crucial. Some scenarios where it's recommended you seek prompt medical care are:
Severe Pain or Discomfort
Following an auto accident, if you experience severe pain in any part of your body, it's highly recommended that you seek prompt medical attention, as the pain could be an indication of severe injuries, such as internal injuries or fractures that require prompt medical treatment.
Loss of Consciousness
After a car accident, if you experience even a brief loss of consciousness, it's crucial that you seek medical attention. The loss of consciousness after a car accident could be a sign of brain injuries such as traumatic brain injuries.
Visible Injuries
If you have any visible injuries after a car accident, such as cuts, bruises, or lacerations, you should seek a medical evaluation, even if you believe them to be minor.
Dizziness of Nausea
Feeling dizzy or nauseous after a car accident can be a sign of hidden injuries such as a head injury or organ damage; it's critical to your health that if you feel dizzy, you seek a medical evaluation to ensure there are no underlying injuries.
Numbness of Weakness
If you are numb or weak in your areas of your body after a car accident, it could be a sign of severe injuries such as a spinal injury or nerve damage.
Difficulty Breathing
If you experience difficulty breathing after a car accident, it could be a sign of rib fractures, lung injuries, or other underlying injuries, which, if not treated, could be fatal.
Delayed Symptoms
Some car accident injuries may not present immediate symptoms, so it's essential that if you notice any new symptoms, such as pain or dizziness, hours or days after the car accident, you seek immediate medical care.
What Are Delayed Symptoms After a Car Accident?
Delayed symptoms are symptoms that appear hours, days, or even weeks later after a car accident.
Common delayed symptoms you should look out for are:
- Headaches
- Neck pain
- Spinal cord pain
- Swelling
- Numbness
- Sleep disturbances
Can a Car Accident Cause Internal Bleeding?
Yes, a car accident can result in internal bleeding, which can be fatal if not properly treated.
Internal injuries in car accidents are usually caused by blunt force trauma and typically occur in the abdominal cavity, chest cavity, head, or pelvis. It's crucial that after a car accident if you suspect that you may have suffered internal injuries, you immediately contact emergency medical services.
Should You Go to the ER for Whiplash?
Whiplash is a common car accident injury that typically does not require emergency medical care and can usually be handled with over-the-counter pain medications.
However, if you experience severe pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, difficulty moving, or a severe headache after experiencing whiplash you should seek emergency medical care as over-the-counter pain medications may not help your condition.
If I Go to the Hospital After a Car Accident Who Pays
If you seek medical attention after a car accident, there could be many sources that pay for the medical bills, such as the at-fault driver’s insurance company, your personal health insurance, or your auto insurance.
Below, we take a look into how these sources may pay your hospital bill.
The At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Company
If another driver is at fault for the car accident and you pursue compensation by hiring a personal injury lawyer and filing an accident claim, the other driver’s insurance company may pay for your medical bills.
However, it's important to understand that this process contains:
- Filing a Claim: You'll have to file a personal injury claim against the other driver's insurance provider. This may require assistance from a car accident lawyer to ensure success.
- Negotiation: The other driver's insurance provider may dispute the claim, requiring your car accident lawyer to negotiate and gather more evidence to obtain compensation on your behalf.
Your Auto Insurance Policy
Depending on what auto insurance policy you have, your policy may be able to partially or completely cover the medical bills resulting from a car accident.
Depending on your state and policy, the hospital bill will usually be paid through MedPay or PIP.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
If the at-fault driver is underinsured or uninsured and is unable to cover your medical expenses, you may be able to use your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage if your insurance policy contains it.
This coverage will pay for all medical expenses and other accident-related costs in the event the at-fault driver lacks the insurance.
How Going to the Hospital Can Impact Your Personal Injury Claim
Seeking medical attention following a car accident can greatly impact your personal injury claim in numerous ways, some being:
- Establishing Medical Records:Obtaining prompt medical attention after a car accident will provide in-depth medical records from a medical professional, which can be used as evidence in negotiations with insurance companies or in court.
- Proving Causation: Your personal injury lawyer must prove that the injuries occurred during the accident in order to have a successful car accident case. Having medical records linking your injuries to the accident will be significantly easier.
- Supporting Pain and Suffering: Proving pain and suffering in a car accident case can be a complex process; however, by having a detailed medical record written by a medical professional, you can more easily present how the car accident injuries affect your daily life and the pain they cause.
- Improving Negotiations:By having an in-depth medical record, your personal injury lawyer can use evidence provided by medical professionals in negotiations, which will make it difficult for insurance companies to refute.
How Long After a Car Accident Can You Go to the Hospital?
It's recommended that you seek medical attention immediately after the accident in car accidents with potential injuries.
However, if you are unable to obtain immediate medical care, you should seek medical medical attention:
- Within the First 24 Hours: Seeking medical attention immediately after the car accident is most favorable for your case and health; however, if you are unable to do so, attempt to visit a medical professional within the first 24 hours after the accident.
- Within a Few Days: If you did not seek medical attention within the first 24 hours after the accident due to delayed symptoms or other reasons, we recommend that you visit the hospital.
- Up to Two Weeks: At this point, the delay between the accident and you making a hospital visit may cause complications in your accident claim; however, you should still prioritize seeking a checkup from your primary care physician.
Should I Seek Medical Care for a Minor Car Accident
Even in minor accidents, it is recommended that you seek medical attention for your health and injury claim.
Some reasons you should consider seeking medical care are:
- Hidden Injuries: Potential injuries such as whiplash, concussions, or soft tissue injuries may not be immediately apparent but could result in serious injuries if not treated.
- Medical Documentation: Obtaining care from your primary care physician will allow you to obtain medical documentation on how the injuries occurred and how severe they are. This documentation can be used in your insurance claim to validate your injuries and obtain a fair settlement.
- Peace of Mind: Visiting a doctor after a car accident, even if minor, can provide the peace of mind you need to move on from the accident.
If you were in a fender bender accident in Las Vegas, contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at The Rodney Okano Car Accident Lawyer Law Firm. With over 20+ years in car accident law and hundreds of minor accidents handled our personal injury lawyers will obtain the compensation you are entitled to.
Contact us today by calling (702) 566-3600 or submitting a message for a free consultation.
Why You Should Seek Follow-Up Care Following After an Initial Hospital Visit
Seeking follow-up care after an initial hospital visit is vital to your recovery and legal claim.
Monitoring Recovery Process
By obtaining follow-up care, you can detect worsening symptoms and any arising medical conditions. In addition, you can ensure that any internal injuries are treated properly.
Detecting Delayed Symptoms
Some injuries, such as brain injuries, whiplash, or soft tissue accident injuries, may not show immediate symptoms on your first hospital visit. This is why a follow-up doctor's visit is so important.
Strengthing Your Legal Claim
By receiving follow-up medical care, you can significantly strengthen your claim as more detailed documentation on the extent and severity of your injuries can help your personal injury lawyer obtain higher compensation amounts.
What If You Didn’t Go to the Hospital After a Car Accident?
Deciding not to go to the hospital after a car accident may have several negative effects on your health and insurance claim, some of these negative effects being:
- Health Risks:After a car accident, if you don't seek medical treatment, some injuries, such as rib fractures or internal bleeding, may go undiagnosed, which leads to health complications.
- Insurance Claim Complications: Insurance companies may deny your claim or offer a lowball settlement due to the fact that you lack medical documentation to back your claimed injuries.
Even if you did not go to the hospital following an auto accident, you should still contact us today as you may still have a valuable claim. To schedule a free consultation with a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer, call (702) 566-3600.
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Rodney Okano Car Accident Lawyer is a Las Vegas personal injury law firm with over 20 years of experience helping clients obtain maximum compensation following injuries from accidents such as car crashes, worksite injuries, and slips and falls. Over those years, The Rodney Okano Car Accident Lawyer Law Firm has become an experienced law firm that can ensure exceptional results for any of its clients.
