If you are someone who has recently been in a motor vehicle accident, you may very well have walked away feeling relatively fine. Unfortunately, just because you feel fine now does not mean you did not suffer any harm in the accident, or that seeking medical attention will not do you any good. Here are five reasons you should always see a doctor after a motor vehicle accident, even if you feel fine:
- You may be injured and not know it
- It would seem absurd to think that you might be walking around with a sprain, fracture, or even a brain injury without even realizing it. And yet, this happens constantly in victims of motor vehicle accidents, where some people may not realize they have been injured until days, weeks, or even months afterwards. A prompt medical examination can help you identify potential injuries and get you appropriate medical treatment sooner.
- You can avoid potential medical complications
- The longer you take getting an injury treated, the more likely it is that you will develop complications that will aggravate your condition. These complications can lengthen your recovery time, cause increased pain and suffering, or even potentially develop into long-term health problems. The sooner you seek treatment from a doctor, therefore, the better off you will be.
- You can get contemporary medical records
- Once you get into the legal side of things, there is nothing more important than having evidence to back up your case. Aside from treating you for any injuries you might have received, a doctor can create medical records that can be submitted as evidence. This improves the strength of your case, and gives you better odds at getting a favorable settlement, or of winning your case at trial.
- It makes tying your injuries to the accident easier
- One of the most common defenses that insurers will make in auto accident cases is that your injury was not their fault. They will try to argue that you were injured as a result of something else that happened, thus absolving them of responsibility for your injuries. The more quickly you get medical attention for your injury, though, the harder it is for them to make that argument, which reinforces your own case.
- It can increase the amount of compensation you receive
- In addition to making your case more persuasive, having medical records of your injuries can also affect how much money you receive due to your injuries. If you are looking to settle your case, medical evidence of your injuries can become a good bargaining chip to get a more favorable settlement. And if you go to trial, medical evidence can be very persuasive in convincing a jury to give you a favorable verdict. But the only way to be certain is to have a personal injury lawyer experienced with motor vehicle accidents who can advise you on your best course of action.
If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, it is important that you contact an attorney to understand your legal rights. The Brooklyn personal injury attorneys at Zlotolow & Associates can bring more than two decades of experience to your case. We have helped thousands of clients recover through settlements and courtroom verdicts. To schedule a consultation, you can call us toll-free at (886) 800-0092, or you can visit our contact page.
