Your actions matter after a car accident, as you may be seeking compensation for your injuries. There are two things you need to do: call a lawyer and seek medical attention for your injuries. You cannot afford to delay either of those two. If you are able to prove that someone else was to blame for your accident, you may be entitled to a settlement check to pay for your injuries. However, you cannot delay medical care because it can harm both your health and your legal case.
Car Accident Injuries Can Show Delayed Symptoms
In some cases, you may not realize that you have been injured immediately after the accident. You may have an injury that shows delayed symptoms that start in the weeks after the accident. For example, you may not feel the symptoms of whiplash right away.
In more serious cases, you may have an internal injury or even a brain injury that is not apparent immediately. These injuries can grow worse over time without medical treatment. The first days are the most crucial in terms of getting treatment. The sooner you get help from a doctor, the better the chance that you can make a recovery to the fullest extent possible.
Even if you do not think you were injured, it may be in your interest to act out of an abundance of caution and see a doctor. In a best-case scenario, you speak to the doctor, and they tell you that you do not need further treatment or to come back and see them in a certain amount of time. You may have averted a much more serious problem if there were accident injuries lurking beneath the surface.
You Have a Duty to Mitigate Your Damages
Another reason why you need to seek prompt medical attention is that the insurance company is always watching to see what you do after the accident. In every personal injury case, there is a concept at play called mitigation of damages. This legal principle states that you need to do everything in your power to make your own situation better, and you cannot simply sit back and do nothing in the face of damages. The responsible party would not have an obligation to compensate you for how your injuries were made worse by your own inaction. They would only need to pay you for what you would have suffered had you seen a doctor at the first possible opportunity.
The insurance company would review your medical records and determine if you sought treatment promptly. They would also check to see if you followed the recommendations of your medical providers. If they think that you have not been diligent about your own medical care, they may try to reduce the size of the settlement that they offer you.
You Need Medical Records to File a Claim
Finally, you would not be in a position to file a personal injury claim until you have reached a point of maximum medical improvement. This is defined as the point where further treatment will not make a difference in improving your condition. A doctor can begin your treatment, and they will also provide you with medical records that you would need to file your claim. You cannot file a claim or lawsuit until you know the full extent of your injuries, and you will not have that knowledge until you have seen a doctor.
Contact the Brooklyn Car Accident Lawyers at Rubenstein & Rynecki Today
If you have been hurt in a motor vehicle crash, the Brooklyn car accident lawyers at Rubenstein & Rynecki can help. All you need to do is reach out to one of our lawyers to schedule a consultation to discuss your case. You can call us today at 718-522-1020 or contact us using our online form to schedule a free initial consultation. Our office is in Brooklyn, New York, and we work with clients throughout New York City, including The Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.
