When you are injured in a car accident, your first thought is not filing an accident claim. Your first priority is to take care of your injuries. For serious injuries, victims are transported to the emergency room from the accident scene. If a person is not transported to the emergency room, our lawyers encourage accident victims to see their doctor as soon as possible for several reasons.
Reasons to See a Doctor After a Car Accident
First, you could be suffering from an injury that you are unaware of immediately after the crash. Some injuries may not present immediate symptoms or present symptoms that are not recognized for the injury they represent. For this reason, it is always best to be checked by a doctor after any motor vehicle accident. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent additional injury.
Second, you need a medical record to verify your injuries for insurance purposes. You cannot recover compensation unless you suffer damages. Damages include physical injuries and the financial costs associated with the physical injuries. Therefore, you need medical records to substantiate your claim that you were injured, and you suffered damages because of the injuries.
Third, a delay in medical treatment can hurt your claim. In addition to putting your health at risk, a delay in treatment can be used by the insurance company to support its allegations that you were not injured in the accident. Therefore, you need to see a doctor right after the accident and follow your treatment plan, including follow up appointments, physical therapy, and not returning to work until the doctor releases you to do so.
Don’t Sign a Medical Release for the Insurance Company
The insurance company for the other driver will want to see copies of your medical records to verify your injuries. However, you do not want to sign a medical release for the insurance company. Many times, the insurance adjuster hands a release to an accident victim to sign but does not adequately explain that the release does not limit the medical records to the accident injuries.
If you sign this release, you are giving the company access to your full medical history. It is never a good idea to allow the company to search through your medical history. The insurance company will attempt to use any information it can find in your medical history to deny your injury claim. Therefore, allowing your personal injury attorney to handle putting together your medical records to forward to the insurance company with a demand for settlement is a much safer choice.
Contact a New Orleans Car Accident Attorney for Help
Our attorneys handle all aspects of your car accident claim from the accident investigation to preparing a settlement demand and negotiating a fair settlement. We are also prepared to file a lawsuit and go to court if that is necessary to protect your best interests.
Contact Attorney Fred Olinde of The Olinde Firm by calling (504) 587-1440 or 1-800-587-1889 to request a free consultation with a New Orleans accident attorney.