Even if you don’t feel anything in the immediate aftermath of a car accident, it’s best to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Potential aftereffects of an accident can be delayed by hours or even days, and may not even be noticed at all until the adrenaline (or shock) has subsided. Either way, it’s essential to seek medical attention so your injuries can be documented and treated as thoroughly as possible without delay. When it comes to serious injuries, every minute matters.

Seeking treatment after a car accident

Any car accident – even a minor fender bender – can leave you feeling more than rattled, in ways that don’t always manifest instant physical symptoms. That’s why it’s important to seek medical attention to better clarify things and help you get a grasp on treatment options, if necessary. Depending on your physical state after an accident, the routes you should take for treatment will vary. Don’t ever feel timid in regard to seeking help, because you are not overreacting by simply wanting to be looked at further. Ice and aspirin can only go so far.

• Emergency room: Even if you opt not to take an ambulance ride after a car accident, the emergency room is still the best place to go right after any major bodily trauma. If your injuries are indeed more severe, such as a leg laceration or broken bones, then seeking emergency care is critical. You can best document and treat your immediate injuries from medical professionals and technology such as MRI’s, X-rays, and blood tests available at any major hospital.
• Urgent care: If your injuries after a car accident appear to be more minor, an urgent care visit may make more sense than an emergency room visit. You can still be seen immediately, with minimal wait time. Many of these urgent care centers will have several easily accessible branches in the area, and will likely have MRI and X-ray abilities on site without having to get a referral to a specialist first. They also have nurses and doctors on staff.
• Primary care physician: Usually these types of doctor’s offices are only open 9am-5pm Monday through Friday and have appointments that are booked weeks or months in advance. These ‘normal business hours’ are not always ideal, especially after a bad accident. They’re also not really a place to receive emergency treatment or have a physician monitor you in the immediate aftermath of a car accident. Time is of the essence, and these places are best utilized for follow-up appointments as your body heals in the days, weeks, and months afterwards.

What are hidden injuries?

Hidden injuries are internal injuries that are not seen or felt right away. They might not even be visible through immediate testing, and may take some time to fully emerge. Possible “hidden” injuries after a car accident include concussions and internal bleeding. Strains, sprains or soft tissue damage might not be immediately recognizable either, and symptoms may also take several days to become noticeable. Whiplash is another common occurrence in a car accident, as the head will abruptly jerk forwards and backwards upon impact. This can leave lasting damage. A delayed symptom of this may be headaches in the days following an accident, ranging from minor to severe. That’s why it is best to seek proper medical treatment after a car accident.

How medical records help your car accident claim

If you seek any medical attention, there will be records. Medical records are the crux of any personal injury case, especially after a car wreck. During and after your treatment, effective representation can make a huge difference in your claim. Our team of lawyers can send out subpoenas to all of the medical providers you visited to get any and all records, including medical, billing, X-ray, imaging, and more. This will allow us to get a full, accurate picture of what the accident has cost you physically, mentally, emotionally, and most of all, financially. Our demand letters will reference the amount you’ve paid to date and will directly reflect the other damages we will help you seek. This is the first major step our firm can offer you to help guide you through getting your life back on track after a car accident.

In the months after a car accident, treatment costs can easily snowball well into the six-figure range, and may be more than your own insurance’s policy limits will even cover. Hospital stays, ambulance rides, tests, and physical therapy can quickly spiral into overwhelming numbers for the average individual’s budget. When an accident wasn’t your fault, you deserve compensation.

If you’ve been the victim of a car accident and are injured, contact us today for a free initial consultation. Delius & McKenzie, PLLC serves the residents and visitors of Sevierville, Seymour, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Our car accident lawyers have the skills, experience, and dedication to help navigate you through this process, and would be honored to fight for justice on your behalf.