Why You Should Visit a Doctor After Any Car Accident

After a car accident, you might feel completely shocked or angry or scared about the situation. That's all normal, but you shouldn't let the jarring experience of a car accident affect whether or not you take care of yourself.

You might be tempted to avoid calling police, or you might want to leave the scene quickly because you need to get on with your life. You might view the car accident as minor, and not realize that you need medical treatment. As we've covered, there are dozens of injuries that can have delayed symptoms but result in life-long injuries. Just a few signs a car accident is delayed include:

• Back pain
• Headaches and dizziness
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Abdominal pain
• Deep bruises
• Numbness and tingling
• Vision problems
• Jaw issues
• Ringing ears
• Mental health issues

Not going to see a doctor after a car accident can also seriously affect your ability to successfully pursue a car accident claim in the future, if another driver's negligence was to blame for the accident. Here are some reasons to get medical attention after any car accident you've been in.

If You Delay Treatment, the Cause of Pain May Be Questioned

Say you are in a car accident, and a few days later, you experience back pain that was caused by the accident. You get medical treatment and decide to file a claim against the other driver.

Having waited, the defendant can claim:

‍The back pain was caused by something else, anything else, that happened in-between the car accident and the doctor's visit. It's more difficult to prove that the pain was caused by the accident, when you could have tweaked your back making a sudden sharp movement, performing a work duty, exercising or a whole host of other behaviors you did after the accident.

‍The pain was always there, and the car accident did nothing to exacerbate it. If you've seen a chiropractor in the past or visited a doctor for back issues previously, the defendant could point to previous pain as the cause.

‍You're making up the pain. If the pain is so bad now, why didn't you go to a doctor immediately after the car accident? The defendant could argue maybe you decided to try and file a lawsuit, but you never really had severe pain to begin with.

For your own legal protection, you should visit a doctor after a car accident to get a medical opinion and to show that you were serious enough about any possible pain or injury to get treatment. If emergency services are offered to you at the scene, take them. At the very least, visit an urgent care office or your primary physician as quickly as possible right after the accident.

You Could Suffer More Severe Injuries

After a shocking event like a car accident, it's common for the body to go into a fight-or-flight mode that is powered by endorphins and adrenaline. These hormones may mask pain to prepare the victim to stay safe and alert in a dangerous or high-pressure situation. For example, there are many cases of professional athletes breaking bones but continuing to finish a game without noticing their injury. These hormones could affect you after a car accident, too, making you feel physically fine but really covering up an injury that will only get worse with time.

A doctor will be able to feel your body for broken bones, perform an X-ray if they think that's wise, and see symptoms of injuries that may not be noticeable to you but that are apparent to medical professionals. You might blame your dizziness for feeling anxious due to the car accident, but it could be an early sign of a brain injury. Waiting days or weeks for treatment can cause an injury to develop into something far worse that doesn't respond as well to treatment.

Even if a doctor concludes you aren't injured at your initial visit, you can get advice for symptoms to watch out for. If those do develop, you can revisit your physician for treatment.

A Doctor's Visit Begins a Vital Paper Trail

Visiting a doctor results in proof that you took every precaution to get treatment for any possible injuries from a car accident. This proof can be essential if you decide to file a claim in the future. Because injuries can develop in a variety of ways, you may not decide to file a claim until several months down the road. Those doctor visit records can keep you protected and be used as evidence if you decide to file a claim.

Always review all records you receive from your doctor, and work to correct any errors you spot. You should also review your medical history. For example, if a doctor notes that you've had neck problems in the past, but you had never mentioned those to your doctor or received treatment for them, then make sure the record is corrected and updated to reflect the truth.

If you are in a car accident, no matter how severe it is, it is in your best interest to visit a doctor. If you feel the negligence of another driver is to blame for the accident and your injury, contact the Birmingham car accident lawyer team at Pittman, Dutton, Hellums, Bradley & Mann for a free consultation for how we can help you.