You might not sense injuries in the immediate aftermath of a motor vehicle crash. You will often have so much adrenaline coursing through your veins that you won’t feel the pain associated with them.
Still, you shouldn’t let this stop you from seeking medical attention following a crash. Ignoring adrenaline-masking injury symptoms and delaying medical treatment after a car accident could doom a personal injury case should you choose to file one in the future.
Discover how putting off this treatment may impede your ability to take legal action against another driver.
Prevents You From Establishing a Clear Connection Between a Crash and Your Injuries
Generally speaking, you should steer clear of delaying medical treatment after a car accident for any longer than 72 hours. This could make it nearly impossible to definitively connect the injuries you sustained to the crash you were involved in.
One of the many insurance company defense tactics an insurer might use is arguing that your injuries stem from another incident, not a motor vehicle crash. You may lend credence to this theory by choosing not to have healthcare professionals look at you within 72 hours.
Within a few hours of your crash, you should have them evaluate potential injuries and provide medical documentation for injury claims. This will help strengthen a personal injury claim if you file one later.
Makes It Difficult To Document Injuries and Their Severity
The longer you allow car collision injuries to linger without seeking the necessary care, the more challenging it is for doctors and nurses to determine which ones you have and how severe they each are. This could put you in a compromising position during an upcoming legal case.
The attorneys representing the defendant in your lawsuit might argue that you made it too taxing for healthcare professionals to accurately diagnose and document your injuries by delaying medical treatment after a car accident.
Provides an Opportunity for Injuries To Worsen Over Time
Certain car accident injuries might not produce immediate symptoms right after a crash. For example, whiplash and soft-tissue sprains may not exhibit noticeable symptoms for at least a few days following a collision.
If, however, you fail to have them diagnosed and treated accordingly, they could worsen and cause further health complications. They will also get in the way of your case if you take legal action, creating unnecessary roadblocks for your personal injury lawyer.
Creates Credibility Concerns and Raises Questions About Legal Claims and Their Legitimacy
The last thing you want to happen when you file a car accident lawsuit is for others to call your credibility into question. This could raise red flags and cause the defendant in your case to show skepticism regarding your claims.
They might successfully argue that your injuries weren’t caused by a motor vehicle crash simply because the judge or jury in your case isn’t sure whether they should believe your claims. This is another reason to avoid delaying medical treatment after an auto collision at all costs.
Avoid Delaying Medical Treatment After a Car Accident and Give Us a Call To Help
We cannot overstate the possible impact of delayed treatment on settlements and judgments in car crash cases. You risk losing legal leverage in your lawsuit if you wait too long to seek care.
McLaurin Law, PLLC, will discuss the other dangers of delaying medical treatment after a car accident with you. We will also help you avoid allowing the statute of limitations for accident-related medical claims to expire when you work closely with a personal injury attorney from our firm.
Contact us at (713) 364-1895 to schedule a consultation.
