Why You Should See a Doctor After a Car Accident

You should always see a doctor after a car accident. If you don’t go to urgent care or the hospital directly from the scene, you should make an appointment as soon as you’re able. The timing of when you go to the doctor can have a big impact on both your health and your auto injury case.

Treating Yourself with Urgency

If you don’t make an effort to see a doctor within three days of an auto injury, you could harm your case. Waiting to see a doctor sends a signal to the other driver’s insurance company that your injuries were not severe enough to warrant immediate medical attention. That means they can potentially offer you a smaller settlement, even with representation from an experienced auto injury attorney.

Getting Proper Treatment

Going to a doctor also helps identify injuries you may have missed. After an injury, it can be hard to differentiate between pain caused by the accident and pain caused by sickness or pre-existing conditions. A medical examination will evaluate all your ailments and may uncover serious symptoms you were not aware of, such as internal bleeding. Going to the doctor also establishes a record telling the insurance companies that your injuries are genuine.

Negotiating Payment

If you’re worried you can’t afford a doctor’s appointment, you might want to hire an auto injury attorney. An attorney can arrange an “a lien” doctor’s appointment. This means that the doctor agrees to wait for payment until your case is settled.

This can be an enormous benefit for anyone who doesn’t have health insurance or who is struggling to make ends meet. Best of all, a personal injury attorney works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you also don’t have to pay for legal representation until you win.