Meeting With a Doctor After an Accident

If you have been involved in a car accident, it is important to be checked out by a doctor. Even if you do not think your injury is “serious” enough to receive medical attention, you should seek medical treatment. Medical treatment is necessary to make sure that you are not suffering from a more serious injury, a hidden injury, or in the event that you will file a car accident claim later on. It might seem daunting to seek the advice of medical professionals, regardless of the number of times you might have visited them in the past. The following are some tips and things to keep in mind when meeting with a doctor after an accident.
Timing
As stated above, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible following an accident. Ideally, that would mean immediately. However, that does not always happen. After an accident, your adrenaline might be pumping and you might not even feel your injuries. Eventually, though, adrenaline dissipates and your injuries and pain set in. In fact, most professionals think that injured individuals should not wait more than 72 hours to seek help after a car accident. It seems reasonable to most, including insurance companies, that signs of injuries would appear within 72 hours.
There can be consequences bigger than being in pain if you choose not to seek medical treatment. If you want to pursue compensation through a personal injury suit, waiting to see a doctor could affect the validity of your claim. Even if you are telling the truth, it might be harder to believe without a doctors visit quickly following the accident.
Take Notes
You are going to be able to remember the details of an accident or the circumstances surrounding an injury more accurately right after the event occurs. Therefore, it can be helpful to start a journal after an accident. You can write down the details of your injuries as you discover them, the symptoms that you experience, and the different ways that the injury is affecting your life. These notes can be crucial to remembering the accurate details of your injury. Additionally, the  journal can be used to document medical visits. Keep track of the dates of appointments, the treatments received, costs incurred, and even the discussions you had with the doctor.
Ask Questions
We have all heard the saying “there is no such thing as a stupid question,” and after an accident, this is true. Ask your doctor questions about the seriousness of your injury, what the recovery might be like, potential complications of the injury, and even about how the injury might affect your ability to work.
Meet with an Attorney
When you first meet with a doctor after an accident, you will likely not have met with your accident attorney yet. It is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible afterward, however. Your attorney can make sure the right records are being kept and the right questions are being asked. Your attorney will help you start the process of seeking compensation within the statute of limitations. The personal injury attorneys at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. are here to help you. Contact us today for a consultation.