Nearly 2 million Americans are injured in automobile crashes each year. As a result, many of those individuals suffer severe injuries, like whiplash. Unfortunately, most people make numerous mistakes when visiting a doctor after a car accident causes injuries.
If you’re wondering when to go to the hospital after car accident trauma or when to stop treatment after accident injuries, this article has the answers.
Take a look at the information below to learn how to properly handle your visit to an accident doctor.
Visiting the Doctor After Car Accident Injuries: Mistakes to Avoid
Visiting a doctor after car accident trauma is essential to treating your injuries and documenting them for your injury claim. However, to ensure that your case isn’t stalled, avoid these mistakes while you’re at the accident doctor:
Not Seeking Medical Attention Immediately After the Accident
It’s vital to visit a doctor after a car accident collision, even if you have mild aches and pains. Some injuries don’t worsen until days or weeks after the car crash. Seek medical help as soon as possible.
Getting Legal Advice from the Doctor
A doctor’s only job is to provide medical care to treat your injuries. They are not trained to provide legal advice, so you shouldn’t receive counsel from them regarding your car accident.
Not only that, but many physicians don’t like getting involved with lawsuits. Therefore, it may deter them from providing the necessary treatment that you need. Be sure to avoid making statements that could hurt your injury case down the line.
Whatever you say to the doctor in confidence is not confidential once you start a personal injury claim. Never tell a physician that they are treating injuries that may be used in a lawsuit.
Being Dishonest About Prior Medical History
It’s imperative to be upfront and honest about any injuries or illnesses you had prior to your accident. Physicians rely on your past medical history to help treat and diagnose you.
If you give inaccurate information, it can hinder the type of medical treatment that you receive. It could also hurt your injury case.
By providing incomplete medical details, your doctor’s analysis might be inaccurate and potentially rejected by the insurance provider.
Also, be truthful about the car crash. Don’t tell the doctor (after a car accident) that your vehicle was totaled if it wasn’t. Doing so could hurt your credibility.
Not Telling Your Physician of Your Inability to Work
When you go to a doctor after car accident trauma, let them know if your medical complications are affecting your ability to work. When the collision first occurs, you may not know whether or not your wounds will stop you from working.
However, if you notice changes in your body, be sure to mention them during your follow-up appointments.
Not Showing up to Medical Appointments
Insurance companies will ask to see your medical records when considering compensation. If you habitually skip visits with the accident doctor, it can affect your personal injury claim.
There should only be a very valid excuse for missing out on an appointment. If you have more than a couple of no-shows on your record, it’ll appear as if you’re not committed to receiving treatment.
Furthermore, if your doctor is unhappy with your missed appointments, they could also become a bad witness for your case.
Stopping Medical Treatment
You might be wondering when to stop treatment after an accident. It’s easy to want to discontinue medical treatment once you start to feel better, but don’t do it. Keep going until your physician clears you.
Large gaps between healthcare visits look bad on your injury case because it appears as if you are healed from your injury.
Not Taking Prescribed Medication
Taking the medication prescribed by your accident doctor is another key component to winning your personal injury case. If you experience harsh side effects, be sure to let your doctor know so they can make the proper adjustments.
Not taking your meds could hinder your claim by showing that you were unwilling to follow the doctor’s orders.
Not Telling Your Physician About Your Emotional Suffering
Automobile accidents that lead to physical injuries can often trigger anxiety and depression. In personal injury cases, emotional wounds are just as compensable as physical ones.
If your quality of life has been ruined or you’ve suffered from mental or emotional distress, be sure to let your physician know so they can document it.
Not Keeping Personal Records
When seeing the doctor after a car accident trauma, be sure to keep a personal file. Speak to your Columbia personal injury lawyer about all of the healthcare providers that you visited for your injuries.
Keep a record of treatment referrals, doctor’s orders, and work restrictions provided by the physician.
Doing so ensures that you have all the necessary documentation to back up your claim. It also provides your attorney with adequate records to build a substantial case for you.
Avoid Mistakes When You Go to a Doctor After a Car Accident: Get Legal Help from an Injury Lawyer
If you’ve sustained injuries due to a vehicle collision, Burriss and Ridgeway Columbia, SC car accident Lawyers can help. Our attorneys will make sure that you understand the proper protocol for visiting a doctor after a car accident to get you the compensation you deserve from the insurance company.
If you have any questions, call 803-451-4000 or contact us online.
We’ll be here for you when you need us.
