Why should I go see a doctor after being involved in a South Carolina car accident?

The most important thing to recognize here is that it is imperative that you see a doctor as soon as you can following your car accident! 

If you’ve been in an auto accident, you may hesitate to seek appropriate and immediate medical attention for various reasons. For example, you might think that your injuries are too minor to bother visiting the doctor. Even if you don’t feel any pain or stiffness at the time, note that you may have soft tissue, head, or spinal injuries that need medical attention.

Also, keep in mind that one of the primary types of evidence an insurance company in South Carolina will look for is adequate documentation of the injuries, such as back injury, in the form of medical records. Seeing a doctor immediately will strengthen your insurance claim and help your personal injury lawyer seek to achieve a favorable outcome. If you don’t see a doctor soon after the wreck, on the other hand, an insurance company could use it as a reason to deny you coverage.

Car accidents and injuries are by definition unplanned. After one occurs, maybe work and other responsibilities seem more important than seeing a doctor promptly. Once help has arrived and things get sorted, you might think you are alright if you are not in a lot of pain. You may think there is no need to see a doctor. However, this can be a huge mistake. So, for the sake of your health and well-being as well as your potential personal injury claim, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible after a car accident.

Here are some reasons getting a medical evaluation from a reliable physician is the most important thing after you have sustained injuries in an auto accident.

Diagnose Injuries

If you’re involved in a car accident, your adrenaline will be sky-high afterward. As a result, you might not feel any pain or soreness right away, as you’re so amped up. However, keep in mind that as time wears on, symptoms will likely begin to show up, indicating hidden injuries, including serious ones like a traumatic brain injury and internal bleeding.

Hidden Injuries Following a Car Accident

You may know that the human body reacts to stressful and shocking situations, such as car accidents, by pumping adrenaline and epinephrine through the veins. This can heighten your awareness and shorten the reaction time.

Perhaps, more importantly, the reaction dulls the pain for a brief time period. Because of the triggered “fight or flight” response, serious injuries with life-altering consequences might feel like a small bump right after the car accident. 

This is why seeing a doctor must be your main concern, even if you’ve been in a minor fender-bender and don’t think that you are hurt.

Start Treatment

When you see a physician or doctor after your car crash, they will thoroughly examine you for potential problems. If you indicate head or neck pain or an impact to these areas, they will likely conduct a neurological examination. Also, depending on your symptoms, they may run some tests like an X-ray, MRI, and a CT scan to determine the most suitable course of action. 

If you have an injury, timely treatment will give you the best chance of recovery. Also, starting treatment is important, as your medical records will serve as the most important form of evidence in the injury case. Your records will outline and define the extent of your bodily injuries, opinions about causation, the diagnosis, and recommendations for treatment. 

Keep in mind that when you file your insurance claim, your doctor’s examination of all your injuries and the diagnosis, as well as prescribed treatment, will likely have a considerable effect on your ability to receive compensation.

Protect Your Claim

There is no doubt that going to the doctor as soon as possible after a car accident is important to seek maximum compensation to pay for the treatment of your injuries and even replace your car. Many insurance companies tend to look for various reasons not to pay insurance claims; so, if you don’t see a doctor, they may use that as grounds to deny payment. They can allege that you weren’t hurt enough to seek treatment, or they may try to argue that it’s impossible to determine if the injuries were caused by the accident when a diagnosis is delayed.

Know that the cost of your overall medical care will affect the amount of compensation you can receive. Your doctor will also project the impact your crash injury will have on your life in the future, including needed future treatment and rehabilitation, all of which affect the amount of compensation that you are eligible to receive.

Follow Your Doctor’s Orders

You should listen to what your doctor tells you and follow their orders. For example, if your doctor advises you not to go to work for a couple of days, do as they tell you. Not following your doctor’s orders and instructions will harm your health and could harm your case. 

If you do not follow the prescribed treatment plan your doctor suggested or there are gaps in your medical treatment (skipping therapy sessions, missing appointments, failing to fill prescription medications), the defense can argue that you’re not as injured or hurt as you claim.

Questions About What Doctor to See Following a Car Accident in South Carolina Are Common

Not sure what doctor you should see after a car accident? Don’t worry, as this is a very common question. 

In most cases, if you sustain severe injuries, you will have to go to the ER and follow up with your PCP (Primary Care Physician) or a medical specialist that the ER doctor recommends. On the other hand, if your injuries aren’t life-threatening, you may decide to drive yourself to your own doctor or an urgent care center for treatment. The bottom line here is that you should always see a doctor following a car accident. Every accident case is different and there is no “one size fits all” answer to questioning what kind of doctor to go to.  Just make sure you see someone as soon as you can after you have been injured in a car accident. 

Have You Been Injured in a Car Accident? Call Auger & Auger 

Car collisions and other kinds of accidents can cause several types of injuries; these injuries range from minor scratches and bumps to catastrophic injuries. So, even if you think that you are fine, you should visit your doctor as soon as possible.

If you or somebody you love was seriously injured in an auto accident, you should call our South Carolina car accident attorneys right now and schedule a free consultation. At Auger & Auger Accident and Injury Lawyers, we will help you get started on your auto accident claim so that you may receive the compensation you are entitled to recover.  Let us help you move forward after your accident and injury! Call our office at (800) 559-5741 or complete our online contact form to set up a free consultation.