Yes, You Should See a Doctor After Your Car Accident
After being in a car accident, many people think that no pain, or only mild pain means they do not need to see a doctor. Of course, they are likely to seek medical treatment immediately if they see a bone sticking out of their arm, have a piece of debris poking out of their leg, or are experiencing significant pain from a cracked skull.
However, a minor back ache, headache, or difficulty breathing are often shrugged off when they shouldn’t be. In fact, accessing the right care after a crash can save lives. That is why you should see a doctor immediately following a car accident.
Why should you seek medical attention quickly after a crash?
If you have been involved in a car crash, one of the first steps you should take is to seek medical treatment. You should do this as quickly as possible to allow your doctor to look for any injuries that may have occurred during your accident. Less visible or underlying injuries may be present with minor or no symptoms at all. Therefore, if you do not visit a licensed medical provider, your injuries may become worse over time, which could result in life-long complications or death.
Additionally, if you do not seek medical attention immediately, the defendant may use this against you. For example, their insurance company may say that your injuries did not exist or were not severe enough to need medical treatment after the accident, which could negatively impact your case. Your medical records are key evidence that will show the types of injuries you suffered, how you received the injuries, and what type of medical treatment plan you are following. Without this vital information, you will not be able to receive compensation for your medical expenses due to the car crash.
The types of car accident injuries that may appear later
It is crucial that you are aware of the fact that not all injury symptoms show up immediately after a car accident. In fact, many car accident injuries take hours, days, or weeks to show any symptoms. Therefore, it is a bad idea to decide to put off going to the doctor as you may not realize that you are experiencing a serious injury that needs to be treated right away. Here are a few common examples of injuries with mild or late symptoms:
- Traumatic brain injuries: Traumatic brain injuries are the result of a blow to the head. That said, if you hit your head on an object or the pavement during a car accident, you may have a traumatic brain injury (TBI). These injuries are very dangerous and need to be treated as soon as possible or death may occur. It can take hours or days for TBI symptoms to show up. However, by the time you notice symptoms, it may be too late. This is why it is important for a doctor to assess your head and skull to determine if you have a concussion or any other type of TBI. Some of the mild symptoms that may begin to arise include headache, dizziness, blurry vision, nausea, tiredness, memory loss, and more.
- Whiplash: Whiplash is a type of neck injury that occurs when the neck experiences “rapid back-and-forth movement.” Symptoms of whiplash usually take days to appear, but if it is left untreated, it can lead to long-term complications as well as chronic pain. Some of the initial symptoms you may notice with whiplash are a stiff neck, pain in the neck area, inability to move your neck, headaches, tingling feelings in the arms, dizziness, and more.
- Spinal cord or back injuries: Back or spinal cord injuries usually happen when there is damage to any area of the spinal cord or back during a car accident. When these types of injuries occur, individuals usually experience permanent change at the site of the injury and below. Therefore, if you have a spinal cord or back injury, you will most likely deal with life-changing consequences for the rest of your life. However, the sooner you get medical treatment, the more likely you are to have less-severe complications. While these injuries take days or weeks to show severe symptoms, you should get checked out by a doctor immediately. Some of the first symptoms you may begin to notice are difficulty breathing, pain in your back, inability to move or function like before, balance issues, and more.
- Internal bleeding: Internal bleeding is a very serious matter that needs to be caught as quickly as possible. The bleeding occurs within the body, meaning that you cannot see it. Some people are lucky enough for their internal bleeding to stop on its own, while others need immediate surgery to stop it. Therefore, it is crucial that you seek medical treatment to determine if you have any internal bleeding in any area of your body after a car accident. Some symptoms that you should look out for include abdominal pain, swelling in a specific area of the body, purple skin, dizziness, feeling lightheaded, headaches, seizures, and more.
How Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys can help you
Whether you have sustained a spine and neck injury, internal bleeding, concussion, or any other type of injury from a car accident, Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys is here to help you through every hurdle and challenge of the legal process. We know and understand that filing a claim after being in an auto accident can cause stress, frustration, and confusion. Therefore, we will help you navigate the process, explain every detail, and ensure that you are kept up to date and informed about everything going on with your case.
Our team is dedicated to helping clients stand up to insurance companies and negligent drivers who caused their accidents and injuries, and we will fight for your right to the compensation you are entitled to.
For years, the lawyers of Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys have been working to protect the rights of clients who have suffered injuries and other losses from motor vehicle accidents. If you need assistance from an attorney you can trust and depend on, call our office or submit our contact form today. We will help you file a claim for reimbursement of your losses at our office locations in Kansas City (MO), Lee’s Summit, Parkville, St. Joseph, Olathe, Overland Park, and Kansas City (KS). You can visit our main office at any time or make an appointment at our other offices.
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We know that it can feel as if there’s no end in sight when you’re living with a serious injury. At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, we’re on your side from day one. We’ll not only fight for your best interests, but we’ll help you process and deal with your injury along the way. Our personal injury lawyers handle the insurance company for you, and make sure that you find the tools and resources you need to move forward. When you need an experienced, compassionate Kansas City personal injury lawyer, we answer the call.