Are you aware that one of the biggest mistakes commonly made by car accident victims in the days and weeks that follow a serious accident is delaying medical care? You had better believe that in any trial, auto accident attorney will need to explain why an accident that was as serious as you said it was did not immediately result in a doctor's visit or hospitalization. If you're involved in a car accident and are considering delaying medical treatment for whatever reason, here are some things to consider.
First, delays in treatment necessarily mean that your injury will be treated as less serious by juries and insurance agencies. Some jurors may be sympathetic if they thought you avoided care because of the costs associated with treatment, but many will see your refusal to get treatment as a quiet admission that the injuries you sustained during your accident were either less serious than you are claiming or did not occur at all. If you skipped medical care immediately after your accident, consider going in the days that followed the accident.
Second, it can be harder to prove that your injuries were serious and were related to your accident. As days, weeks, and months go by, an at-fault driver's insurance company will be more likely to argue that the injuries you suffer today were actually caused by another accident, your own negligence, or something else that is unrelated to their driver.
Third, delaying medical treatment means that you won't be able to present an accurate snapshot of your medical injuries to a jury or judge. You may remember that your neck or head hurt, but can you provide objective evidence of your injuries? Can you explain exactly why you felt the way you did or show photos of your injuries? Medical treatment is primarily about treating your conditions, but it is also about gathering the evidence necessary to make insurance companies pay for your treatment.
Finally, delaying medical treatment may allow minor injuries to grow into serious conditions. Seeking out early medical treatment may drastically improve your quality of life or even save your life. Need more motivation to get timely treatment after a car accident? Failing to get treatment means that the at-fault party's attorney can argue that your negligence in getting care was the real cause of the injuries that you're facing today. Rather than pay for all of your treatment, they may only pay for the treatment necessary to treat the injuries that you sustained at the time of the accident. This can be a costly mistake that you may never recover from.
Contact an auto accident attorney for help.
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