When to Seek Medical Treatment After a Car Accident

By Zane T. Cagle | February 7, 2021 | Car Accidents

Nothing can prepare you for a car accident. Motor vehicle collisions can be extremely jarring, even if the accident appears to be only minor. Car accidents can vary greatly, so many people may wonder when to seek medical treatment after a car accident. Seek medical treatment as soon as possible! Getting medical treatment is extremely important, even if the injury is not life-threatening. If you can feel pain or have a visible injury, you should immediately seek medical treatment. If you continue to have pain, you should seek immediate medical treatment.

Here’s what you need to do to take care of your health and recover after a car accident.

When You Start to Feel Symptoms

Car accidents can be traumatic, and you could experience an adrenaline rush after the incident. Because of this, even if you are injured, you might not feel it right away. If you feel perfectly fine after an accident, you wouldn’t think that you have any reason to get medical treatment. You might feel fine right after, and maybe even the next day, but the pain can start to happen quickly as you calm down after the event. Once you start experiencing pain after a car accident, you need to contact a doctor immediately.

Putting off getting treatment risks the injury getting worse and causing more serious problems, so don’t wait to get help. The sooner you get treatment, the better you can begin to recover from the accident. If you need to take legal action with a personal injury lawyer to receive a fair amount of compensation, you’ll also need your medical records to prove that you were injured following the accident and required medical treatment.

Be Sure to Follow the Doctor’s Orders

If you do need treatment after a car accident, you must follow your doctor’s orders exactly as they’re given. This might seem obvious, but not everyone follows their doctor’s instructions. No matter the extent of your injuries, you need to do everything the doctor instructs so you recover from the accident. Some people might start feeling better before finishing their treatment, so they might not think they need it anymore and stop. Stopping treatment can be dangerous and may factor into your healing process. Follow doctor’s recommendations. When you deviate from your provider’s instructions, the auto insurance carrier may claim that you failed to mitigate your damages, meaning you failed to do everything you could to heal. Ultimately, the goal in seeking any medical treatment is recovery, so discuss your treatment with your doctor and follow the agreed-upon course of treatment.

Find a Car Accident Lawyer to Help Win Compensation

Getting medical treatment when you’ve been in a car accident is extremely important, but it’s not something many people feel they can afford. Whether you have health insurance or not, medical bills can be staggering. On top of this major expense, you might also be out of work due to your injuries, so you might not even have an income after the accident. If you’ve been injured in a car accident and are facing financial troubles due to it, you need a lawyer who can help you receive the compensation you deserve.

Call The Cagle Law Firm toll-free at (1-800) 685-3302 or locally at (314) 276-1681 for a free consultation with a St. Louis car accident lawyer.

About The Author

Zane T. Cagle

Zane T. Cagle is the founding president and lead trial attorney at The Cagle Law Firm. With a strong dedication to his clients, he has built a reputation for his tenacious representation in personal injury cases, ensuring each client's unique story is heard. Areas of Practice: Personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death. Bar Admissions: Supreme Court of Missouri, Illinois & Kentucky. Superior Court of U.S. Virgin Islands Education: Washington University School of Law. Awards: Super Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40 by The National Trial Lawyers Association, 10 Best in Missouri for Customer Satisfaction.

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