What to Do After a Car Accident Injury: A Guide
Here’s What to do After a Car Accident Injury
Around 2.5 million people seek emergency services following a car accident every year. As medical costs have been steadily increasing over time, you could rack up a serious debt just covering your injuries. Knowing what to do after a car accident injury will ensure that you get what you are owed and don’t go into debt because of someone else’s negligence.
Auto injuries can vary widely between people and the type of accident. Some injuries might be detectable through an x-ray but won’t even be noticeable until something triggers a fracture or sprain to worsen. Without following the proper steps, you could be left injured and bankrupted after an accident.
You need to act fast following an accident. Failing to act within 24-48 hours can invalidate your claim. If you’re wondering what to do after an auto accident injury, start by following these 5 steps.
What to Do After a Car Accident Injury: 5 Simple Steps
-
Don’t Leave the Scene Without Insurance Info
Even if you don’t plan on calling the other driver’s insurance company over damage to your vehicle, you should get the information anyway. If you find that you’ve got injuries you didn’t realize in the hectic moments following the accident, you won’t have any recourse.
When you’re in a crisis situation or an accident of any kind, your body will start producing adrenaline. This will help you to continue to function despite any injuries. The chemicals produced by your brain and body mask the severity of your injuries in order to allow you to continue functioning.
While this was a great evolutionary tactic to help survival in the wild, it can complicate situations like a car accident. The excitement can spur hasty actions and trigger your flight instincts. You might want to just move on from the situation and not dwell on it.
Fight that instinct for the good of your health and financial stability.
-
Get to a Hospital Immediately
If you’re injured, you’ll face serious hurdles proving your injury was related to the accident unless you get to a hospital immediately following the accident. For people who suffer long-term pain and suffering, you’ll have to go to court without adequate proof if you don’t go to a hospital.
You could end up losing wages due to an injury and not be able to recoup them if you can’t show documentation.
If you’re lacking a good health insurance policy or don’t know who your primary care doctor is, you can just head to an emergency room. They will prioritize care to ensure you aren’t suffering a concussion. When you’re discharged, be sure to hang on to everything doctors and staff give you.
The doctor can give you a note if you need to leave work for a day or two to recover from injuries. This note will help you to recover lost wages when you talk to the insurance company.
-
Listen To Your Doctor
If your doctor looks at your x-rays or you’re showing symptoms of a serious issue, listen to their advice. An issue that goes untreated and worsens will put the fault on your shoulders. This will allow an insurance company to step out of the way of any blame or responsibility they might have to pay for your treatments.
A major issue in these types of situations is a “gap in treatment”. When something goes untreated and worsens, this looks bad for the person who was injured. If a sprain turns into a fracture, the insurance company will look for a way to not pay for the damages.
They will question how much pain you were in given you avoided a doctor. This is an embarrassing and frustrating position for them to put you in. Avoid the matter by following a doctor’s orders.
-
Schedule A Consultation
Once you’ve started to gather documentation about your case, it’s time to speak with a lawyer. Many will offer a free consultation to see whether or not you have a strong case.
Call an auto accident attorney who you feel like you can trust. Run a search online to read reviews and testimonials. When you find someone you like, see what their availability is.
An ethical lawyer who wants your business will meet with you personally. If you get sent to an assistant or a paralegal, you might want to look for someone else.
Your attorney should be able to determine what kind of case you have and how valid it is.
-
Start Organizing Your Documents
There will be a lot of paperwork while you’re recovering from your accident and during the process of communicating with the insurance company. If there’s a police report, get a copy of that to include the rest of your portfolio of information.
Things like a discharge note from the hospital, the information you got from the other driver’s insurance, and any mailers need to be included. This will all begin to form the foundation of evidence for your case. Without this evidence, you’ll have a tough time proving your case.
Include a copy of your own policy. There might be a way to get some initial payments from your own insurance company. This could pay the preliminary fees you might be dealing with.
Any kinds of charts or scans from the hospital need to also be included. They will be able to be dissected in the case in the event of a dispute. Your lawyer will bring in a medical professional who will validate the items.
- You May Like – Travel Insurance: Why and How Much Insurance Do You Need?
Knowing What To Do After A Car Accident Injury Will Save Money
The moments following a car accident can be confusing and traumatic. This is the most critical time to pay attention to what you say and what you do, however, the intensity can cause people to make mistakes.
Knowing what to do after a car accident injury can ensure not only you get the medical care you need but also that you won’t be hassled by bill collectors later.
To ensure that you get the kind of personal injury lawyer you need, follow our guide on what to look for.
