Why do I Need a Medical Exam If I Feel Uninjured After a Car Accident?

Someone hit you with their car in an intersection, and you don’t feel like you suffered an injury. Your arms and legs don’t hurt, and you didn’t hit your head, so you are ok, right? It’s good that you don’t seem seriously hurt, but you shouldn’t assume you have any injuries. You should act cautiously after any car accident, which includes having a medical exam to check for injuries.

Read on about why a medical exam is important after a car accident. If you have a case, speak to your city’s licensed Augusta car accident attorney today.

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Many Car Accident Injuries Have Delayed Symptoms

Not all auto accident injuries are obvious in the seconds after impact. First, your body may have anticipated the crash and tensed up. It may be hours before you feel pain from your injuries. Also, a surge of adrenaline from the sudden crash can hide pain from injuries for at least a few hours. You may not notice symptoms until many days after the accident. If you wait that long for medical treatment, your injuries can be much worse. Plus, the insurance company will question your claim.

Some examples of car accident injuries with delayed symptoms are:

Whiplash 

Whiplash can occur when the force of the crash causes the neck to snap back and forth while the rest of the body doesn’t move. Whiplash can trigger pain in most body parts because it can affect the spinal cord and nervous system. You may not notice your whiplash symptoms for days after the crash. But it is a serious injury that can cause a lot of pain and disability. Many people with whiplash have difficulty moving their neck in the full range of motion for months, even years.

Many insurance companies question people with whiplash injuries because the condition isn’t easy to see on imaging scans and X-rays. If you delay treatment for whiplash, it’s likely the insurance company will question your injury. It’s better to have the injury looked at on the day of the accident and documented by your doctor. The insurance company is more likely to take it seriously when it is in your official medical record.

Internal Injuries

You can be in a serious accident with no visible injuries. But inside your abdomen, there can be a torn blood vessel or vital organ that is bleeding slowly. You may not realize you are losing blood for several hours, and then it can be too late. Medical staff should always check you for internal bleeding in the emergency room.

Soft Tissue Injuries

The tremendous forces of a car accident can cause serious tissue injuries in the neck or back. You can have a herniated disc or spinal stenosis and not know it at first. The longer the back injury is untreated, the worse it can get. The insurance company may argue that your back injury was a pre-existing condition.

Brain Injuries And Concussions 

A concussion or another brain injury may not show any external symptoms initially. You don’t necessarily have to have a visible blow to the head to have a serious head injury. Your brain can be swelling and bleeding in the hours after the crash, so immediate medical attention is vital. Many people who thought they were not injured after an accident end up suffering from a serious or fatal brain injury. The delay in treatment cost them precious hours, and the injury became much worse.

It’s Good To Be Cautious

You should always play things safe after an auto accident. You want to do everything to improve both your medical and legal situation. You never know when an injury can take days to manifest, and the delay can make the situation worse.

In the best situation, the doctor will say you aren’t injured and tell you to come back for a follow-up in a few weeks. You only lost an hour or two and maybe a co-pay to ensure your bases are covered. If you are diagnosed with car accident injuries, you’ll be glad you took the time to go to the ER. A proper amount of caution can be wise after a car accident.

Reach Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI)

Another reason to go to the doctor after a crash is to get medically treated before filing a claim. You only know the degree and type of injuries you have by going to a doctor. You may need to go through weeks or months of treatment before your prognosis is clear.

At some point, you will reach MMI or maximum medical improvement. This means your condition has gotten as good as it will. The sooner you get medical treatments, the sooner you can reach MMI and begin insurance settlement discussions.

You Need Documentation

You bear the burden of proving your injuries and damages when injured in a car crash. You won’t get money for your losses unless you show you have injuries and medical treatments.

The compensation you receive largely revolves around your medical records. The insurance company will learn the severity of your injuries from your medical records. The treating physician will make notes, write the diagnosis, and state how the injuries happened. A well-documented injury and treatment plan is important for receiving fair compensation.

How Doctors Diagnose Injuries When You Feel No Pain

Doctors have the training and equipment to diagnose injuries that may not cause pain. Doctors usually start with a medical exam after a car crash by asking what happened in the accident and how you feel.

The doctor will watch your behavior and how you answer questions to look for signs of brain or mental trauma. Doctors also can do physical tests, such as checking your arms and legs for proper responses. They also may put pressure on parts of the abdomen and other parts of the body to check for swelling and other signs of injury.

The doctor may suspect you have a broken bone or soft tissue injury and have an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan done. If the doctor doesn’t diagnose any injuries, they may schedule a follow-up for you in two or three weeks.

Follow Your Doctor’s Treatment Plan

If a doctor finds a car accident injury, they will write a treatment plan. The plan can include surgeries, treatments, physical therapy, and regular follow-up visits. Make sure that you follow the doctor’s treatment plan! If you do not attend your doctor visits, the insurance company will find out and can deny the claim. If you suffered an injury, you must follow your treatment plan. You should also attend every doctor visit and specific areas of medicine visit. If you cannot make an appointment, reschedule it immediately.

Avoid These Mistakes When Seeing Your Doctor

We have pointed out the importance of receiving prompt medical attention after a car accident. Now, let’s detail some mistakes to avoid when speaking to your doctor:

• Asking the doctor for legal advice: The doctor is skilled in medicine. They are not professionals in personal injury law, so you should not talk to them about the legal aspects of your case. Also, doctors usually don’t like being involved in lawsuits, so discussing the case can interfere with your treatment plan.
• Not being honest about your medical history: Be upfront about any medical condition you had before the accident. If you had a back injury before you suffered an injury again in a car accident, inform your doctor about it. If you provide inaccurate information, it can negatively affect your treatment plan and insurance claim.
• Not being honest about your inability to work: You should always be straight with your doctor if your injuries prevent you from working. Maybe at first, you can work, but after a few weeks, the pain is preventing you from doing your job. You should tell your doctor and attorney to get fair compensation for your lost income.
• Stick to what you know: When you see your doctor, they want to know what happened. Stick to the facts that you know and don’t guess. For example, the doctor may want to know the speed of the car that hit you. It’s easy to overestimate speed in the heat of the moment, and saying the car was going 50 MPH instead of 20 MPH is a big difference in terms of potential injuries. The insurance company may question your truthfulness if you don’t give accurate information. Say what you know, and if you don’t know something, say that.
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• Skipping medical treatments: The insurance company will know if you don’t attend doctor appointments. Skipping appointments suggests you aren’t seriously hurt, which isn’t helping your claim.
• Not taking prescribed drugs: If your doctor gives you a prescription, take it as directed. If you have strong side effects, tell your doctor so they can adjust your medications. Some patients may decide they don’t ‘need’ the pills they receive, but you should continue taking them and follow your doctor’s instructions.
• Not keeping records: You should have an accident file with everything about your case, including medical records, receipts, treatment referrals, lost work time records, car repair bills, etc. This important case information will ensure you do not miss anything when negotiating a settlement.
• Not working closely with your doctor: In a car accident injury case, you will probably need to see specialists you don’t know, like your family doctor. Some of these doctors may or may not be easy to get along with. Regardless, do your best to get along with every doctor, and remember that anything you say can end up in your chart. Be careful about arguing about your condition with your doctor, too. They dislike others second-guessing them.
• Not describing injuries accurately: You must tell your doctor exactly what is hurt and doesn’t feel right. Tell the truth and be specific. Don’t exaggerate your injuries, either. Doctors know how to spot exaggerations and lie about accident injuries, and not being truthful will not help your case.
• Not talking about your mental suffering: Many accident injuries are physical, but the mental and emotional aspects are noble, too. You can have depression and PTSD stemming from the car accident, and you should talk about these issues with your doctor.

To ensure your injuries receive proper treatment, avoiding these problems with your doctor is important. Additionally, steering clear of these issues can prevent the insurance company from questioning the severity of your injuries, which can impact your claim and recovery process. Maintaining clear and consistent communication with your doctor is crucial to establishing a reliable medical record that supports your injury claims.

Speak To A Car Crash Attorney Now

Being injured in a car accident is stressful and upsetting. The situation can worsen if you fail to see prompt medical care after an accident. While you may think you are fine after the crash and just want to go home, you should always see a doctor. Your injuries can worsen, and not seeing a doctor immediately may cause the insurance company to question your injuries.

Always go to the doctor after a car accident and speak to an Augusta personal injury lawyer to find out if you have a case. The consultation is free, so there’s no risk. Your attorney will determine if another party may have caused the accident and whether you can receive compensation in a claim.