Accidents can cause significant injuries, from bone fractures to head trauma. An extremely important step to take after any type of harmful accident is to seek medical attention. This is critical not only for your physical health, but also to lay a foundation for a Minneapolis personal injury claim later. If you delay medical care, you could suffer more serious harm and hurt your chances of receiving a fair settlement offer.
Severe Injuries Require Emergency Treatment
After an accident, your adrenaline might be masking the pain of a serious injury, making it difficult to realize exactly how badly you’ve been hurt. Many injuries can worsen if the individual moves the wrong way, such as a bicycle accident victim immediately jumping to his or her feet after the crash.
A common example is a spinal cord injury, which typically requires the spine to be stabilized immediately to avoid further injury and related consequences, such as paralysis. Getting prompt medical attention is critical so that you receive the emergency treatment you need to prevent an injury from escalating to catastrophic damage.
Accidents Come With the Risk of Hidden Injuries
When most people think of accident injuries, they picture obvious signs and symptoms such as bleeding or swelling. Yet, in many cases, injuries are more subtle. Injuries with hidden or delayed symptoms are common, such as herniated disks, concussions and whiplash.
Depending on the injury, it may not be discovered for hours or even days after the incident. This is why it is important to get professional medical attention, even if you initially feel fine. A doctor can run tests to diagnose a hidden or “invisible” injury so that you can get on the road to recovery as soon as possible.
Medical Attention Can Prevent Long-Term Harm
Some injuries, particularly to the neck and back, can progress into chronic conditions if they are not treated promptly. An untreated injury could develop into problems such as a loss of mobility, chronic pain, permanent disability and reduced quality of life. In some cases, these effects are irreversible.
The psychological impacts of an accident also deserve immediate attention to prevent related issues in the future. Witnessing or surviving a traumatic event such as a serious car crash in Minneapolis can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. Talking to a mental health provider about what you are experiencing can help reduce stress. Treating mental health conditions early improves overall recovery.
Delays Can Lead to the “Failure to Mitigate Damages” Argument
When an insurance company receives a claim from an injured accident victim, it will look for any reason to deny or diminish a payout. One common defense is that the claimant “failed to mitigate his or her damages,” or did not take reasonable actions to minimize the amount of harm suffered from an accident.
If you don’t get medical attention right away, this opens your claim to the possibility of an insurance carrier blaming you for the extent or severity of your injuries. If your lack of prompt treatment did exacerbate your injuries, the insurance company could successfully reduce your financial recovery.
Always Get Medical Care After an Accident
Documenting your injuries with medical care is critical if you wish to recover financial compensation for them after an accident. The sooner you visit a doctor or hospital, the better for your health, recovery prognosis and insurance prospects. If you need help finding the right doctor or documenting your injuries for the purposes of a personal injury claim, contact the attorneys at Goldenberg Lauricella, PLLC.