The most important step you can take after a car accident is to seek medical attention immediately. Here’s why:
Prompt Medical Attention Protects Your Health
Your health is the priority after a car accident. By seeking prompt medical attention, you can ensure that your injuries are properly diagnosed. You can begin receiving medical treatment that protects your long-term health. Without a proper diagnosis, you might continue with your life as normal, which can lead to complications or exacerbating your injuries. With a proper diagnosis, you can receive a treatment plan that you can follow to recover to the fullest extent possible. This plan may include surgery, physical therapy, pain management, and other treatments your medical team deems appropriate.
Medical Documentation Can Establish the Link Between the Car Accident and Your Injuries
Your medical records may play a pivotal part in your car accident claim. Without medical records, the at-fault driver or their insurance company might claim that you were not injured at all or that your injuries were caused by something else. Your medical records can help show the connection between the accident and your injuries. Previous medical records can show you were not injured before the accident, while your new records will show the presence of injuries.
You Have a Duty to Mitigate Damages
If you are injured because of someone else’s negligence, you have a duty to mitigate damages to prevent them from becoming astronomical. If you delay seeking medical treatment, ignore your doctor’s orders, or take risky actions after an accident that could reinjure you, the insurance company could deny your claim. By seeking prompt medical treatment, you are showing that you are being responsible and take your health seriously.
Medical Records Can Help Document Your Damages
Your medical records can help support your request for damages. You have the right to be fairly compensated for the damages you sustained due to someone else’s negligence. Your medical records can help show the following:
- The amount of the medical bills you have already incurred
- Your need for ongoing medical treatment
- Estimates on anticipated future medical expenses
- How much time have you missed from work
- When you were seeking medical care
- The long-term impact of your injuries on your ability to work
- The extent of your pain and suffering
- How have your injuries impacted your daily life and relationships with others
Your San Antonio car accident lawyer can work with your medical providers to obtain well-documented evidence of your injuries, your prognosis, and the progression of your injuries. This information can aid in negotiations or prove the value of your damages if your case goes to trial.
Contact Us Today for a Free Case Review
If you were injured in a car accident someone else caused, you should not have to pay the consequences. Seek prompt medical attention; then call George Salinas Injury Lawyers. We can help build your claim and demand the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.