Following a car accident, a victim can begin suffering from symptoms of a severe injury like a back and neck injury, knee injury, or traumatic brain injury (TBI). These symptoms, such as intense pain, reduced functionality of a body part, or bleeding, can affect a person’s quality of life and cause pain and suffering. A car accident victim should go to the hospital immediately after a car accident to allow a healthcare professional to use diagnostic imaging and a physical exam to identify their severe injury and begin the treatment process.
Going to the hospital after a car accident can also help with the car accident claims process. It can show an insurance company or jury that the victim took the injuries seriously and did what they could to recover. A car accident lawyer can help you recover compensatory damages by calculating your current and future damages, determining the at-fault party, and negotiating a fair settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Car Accidents Can Cause Severe Injuries
The pressure generated on a driver’s or passenger’s body during a car accident can result in severe injury. During a car accident, a victim can receive direct trauma from another vehicle, colliding with a hard object inside the car, receive penetrating trauma, or suffer from crushing impact when pressed between two hard objects. The body’s bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other parts can only take so much trauma before the damage is too much, leading to a fracture, tear, or other severe injuries.
The following are some of the car accident injuries a person can suffer from:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Knee injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Broken bones
- Facial injuries
- Internal injuries
Car Accident Victims Should Begin the Treatment Process as Soon as Possible by Going to the Hospital
There are many steps you must take after a car accident, including collecting evidence at the accident scene, enhancing contact information with everyone involved, and filing a police report. You should also prioritize your health by going to the hospital after a car accident. Once there, a healthcare professional can use the information you provide, as well as the information gleaned through diagnostic imaging and a physical exam, to determine what severe injury you suffered.
Once you understand what severe injury you suffered, the process of treating the injury can begin. It’s better to begin the process earlier, as your severe injury can worsen if you wait too long to begin treatment. You’ll likely already suffer significant symptoms, which can worsen and intensify if you delay treatment. The doctor can prescribe medication, suggest physical therapy, or let you know you need surgery to get the treatment process started.
Severe Car Accident Injuries Can Have Delayed Symptoms
Some car accident victims feel they do not need to go to the hospital because they aren’t experiencing symptoms. However, this is a mistake, as they may suffer from an injury with delayed symptoms. An example of a severe car accident injury with delayed symptoms is whiplash, which is a neck injury caused by violent shaking from a car accident impact. Let’s say you were involved in a rear-end accident that caused your body to shake, but you do not feel pain in your neck just yet.
This can occur because of the adrenaline rush caused by a car accident. This is when the body releases hormones to allow you to focus on survival and increase vital organ blood flow. In effect, this tricks your body into ignoring pain to focus on the traumatic incident at hand. It masks symptoms of severe injuries and can fool car accident victims into believing they did not suffer severe injury. Even if you do not feel symptoms in the aftermath of a car accident, you should go to the hospital in case your symptoms are delayed and you did suffer a severe injury.
How Receiving Medical Treatment Can Affect Your Car Accident Claim
Going to the hospital in the aftermath of a car accident can also help with future attempts to pursue compensation for damages. A motorist can be held liable for any negligent driving behavior, such as distracted driving, speeding, and drunk driving, that causes a car accident. The car accident victim can file a car accident claim with their insurance company to pursue compensatory damages.
However, the insurance company will do everything possible to deny, delay, or devalue your claim. One way they can do that is by downplaying the severity of your injuries. To prevent that from happening, you should go to the hospital. The visit on the day of the car accident will be noted in your medical records, which can prove that you took your severe injuries seriously. This can prevent the insurance company from trying to assert your injuries are not severe enough to require compensation.
Hire a Car Accident Lawyer to Help You Pursue Compensation for Damages
Hiring a car accident lawyer can help with the process of recovering compensation for damages, such as medical bills, property damage, and pain and suffering. They can assist in settlement negotiations to ensure the at-fault party’s insurer doesn’t try to downplay the severity of your damages. An experienced, determined car accident attorney will work to make sure you recover fair compensation for your current and future economic damages, as well as help you receive a sum of money for the effect the accident has had on your quality of life.
The following are some of the ways a car accident lawyer can help you recover fair compensation for your damages:
- Calculate the value of your claim
- Determine who caused the car accident
- Explain your rights
- Speak to witnesses
- Collect evidence to prove your case
- Negotiate with the at-fault party’s insurance company
- Represent you in court
Contact The Russo Firm Today for Help With Your Car Accident Claim
The Russo Firm is a personal injury law firm with car accident lawyers that have decades of experience helping victims across the United States in places like Jacksonville, New Orleans, and Scottsdale. They can offer personalized legal counsel catered to the specifics of your case to increase your odds of recovering compensatory damages. Our car accident lawyers can use their experience and the firm’s vast resources to put you in the best position to recover compensation for damages. Contact us today for a free consultation at (561) 270-0913 or leave a message on our online contact page.
