It is all too common that a person who has been involved in an accident does not seek medical attention as soon as they should. This can lead to injuries getting worse, it can lead to issues with any personal injury claim you may have in the future, and it can cause other issues. Read on to find out more about them. Then reach out to The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for your free legal consultation.
Your injury could get worse
It is not uncommon for a victim of an accident to feel okay the scene, only to later find themselves in extreme pain. This can be due to adrenaline pumping at the scene, which can mask the pain. It is also common for a person who experienced a neck or brain injury to not feel the symptoms right away. Other serious injuries, such as hematomas and hemorrhages, can kill the victim if they are not found by medical professionals right away.
Your insurance company could deny your claim
There are limits on how long you can wait to get medical care before the insurance company will decline to cover it. For example, some auto insurance policies hold that if you wait more than 72 hours to get medical care after an accident, then they will not cover the cost. They do this to ensure that the injuries you are treated for are in fact caused by the accident.
You could lose evidence
When you are taken to the emergency room straight from an accident, it is likely that you will go through numerous tests. The results of these tests can be very important to a personal injury claim because they can show exactly what condition you were in after the accident. They can be essential in proving how much compensation you are due from your injuries. If you do not get these tests then you could see your personal injury claim being much less valuable.
The insurance company could use it against you
If you are in an accident and suffer a serious injury, but you wait to get medical attention for even a few hours, the insurance company can use that against you. They can argue to the judge or jury that you were clearly not as severely injured as you claim. If they are offering you a settlement to avoid a judge or jury trial, then they may reduce how much that settlement is worth due to the fact that you waited to get medical attention.
The bottom line is that if you are injured or even think that you may be injured, then you should seek medical attention. Even if you discover that there are no significant injuries, you will have the peace of mind that you are safe. If you do have injuries then your next step is to contact a personal injury attorney to find out what your options are. Call The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 now.
