If you delay seeking medical attention following a car accident, you may still be able to file an injury claim. However, the longer you wait, the more difficulty you may have with the insurance company. In a personal injury lawsuit, the person seeking damages must prove that another party’s negligence caused the car accident and that their injuries resulted from it; they must be more at fault than the plaintiff. Medical records related to the accident are vital because they link your injuries directly to the crash. A significant delay in seeking medical attention could make it more challenging to prove your claim.
Why Do People Delay Seeking Medical Attention After a Crash?
Delays in seeking medical attention after a crash are fairly common. The body’s natural reaction to stressful situations, including car accidents, is a surge in adrenaline and endorphin production. This is to help deal with the immediate situation, but the effects can last for hours or days, and these hormones can mask pain and other injury symptoms. Many people do not realize they are injured until much later. Only then do they consider seeking medical attention.
Some car accident victims are offered emergency treatment on the scene and refuse it because it involves being transported by ambulance to an emergency room. In America, ambulance rides and emergency rooms are among the most expensive options for medical treatment, and many health insurance plans offer poor coverage for such treatment. People with only minor car accident injuries are likely to refuse this route for care and delay seeking treatment from a medical professional.
Finally, a car accident can be extremely frustrating and time-consuming, even a minor fender-bender. If you were on your way somewhere important when you got into a car accident and then had to wait for law enforcement to arrive, fill out paperwork, have your car towed, etc. – taking the next step of seeking medical care may be the last thing on your mind.
Common Car Accident Injuries With Delayed Symptoms
Some car accident injuries can have delayed symptoms that can take a few days, a week, or even longer to appear. This can be a reason for a delay in seeking medical treatment after a crash.
Whiplash is a soft tissue injury experienced by many car accident victims, but symptoms like pain, soreness, swelling, and stiffness may take some time to appear.
Concussion is a form of traumatic brain injury that occurs when the soft tissue of the brain strikes the hard skull encasing it either through violent jerking or shaking or a blow to the head. Symptoms like nausea, dizziness, headaches, vision problems, and concentration may appear after a car accident.
After a car accident, injuries like these can be diagnosed by a medical professional even if you are not yet experiencing significant symptoms. In addition to establishing a medical record related to the accident, your injuries must be treated as soon as possible to prevent injuries from worsening.
Contact a Monmouth County Car Accident Lawyer at the Law Offices of Michael S. Williams if You Have Been Injured in a Crash
There are many reasons why injured car accident victims do not immediately seek medical attention. An experienced lawyer can help you build a strong injury case. If you have been injured in a car accident, speak with our experienced New Jersey car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Michael S. Williams. Call us today at 732-351-2800 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. With offices conveniently located in Tinton Falls and New Brunswick, New Jersey we serve clients in Monmouth and Middlesex County and throughout the state.
