Being in an automobile accident can put a serious damper on your life. From the time it takes to rehabilitate, to getting a new car or having yours repaired, to dealing with lawyers-both on your side and theirs, it can take a lot of time and worse, it can really wear you down.
The effects from accidents, minor or major, can be quite debilitating and having the proper care can make a huge difference in how you heal, and whether you’ll struggle, manage, or thrive for the rest of your life. As soon as you’re in an auto accident, you should seek treatment immediately. The longer you wait to be treated, the worse your injuries could become.
If you wait too long, your chances of getting the treatment paid for by the insurance companies can dwindle, as well. They won’t think it’s as serious as it is by your not seeking medical advice quickly.
STEPS AFTER YOU’VE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT
Stay calm, this will allow you to have a better chance at recollecting most of what happened leading up to, during, and after the accident. Take notes and pictures, as much as possible, it will help with the details later. Never admit fault, even if you think you may be at fault. Those words may hold up in court, and could possibly hurt you.
There could be details that you weren’t aware of and admission of fault could nullify something you didn’t know about. After the accident has been assessed by the police and you are ok to leave, you may feel no pain. In fact, you might feel no pain for a few days. Over the span of a week or so after your accident, if you feel pain, discomfort, dizziness, or numbness or tingling, call a medical professional immediately and procure their care.
The sooner you get care, the more it will appear that your injuries were from the accident, not some other incident that could’ve taken place were there a gap in care.
GETTING TREATED
Now that you know it’s imperative to get treated as soon as you feel discomfort, it’s important to keep track of the dates, doctors, addresses, and different treatments you have. Having records of these things will help your auto injury claim. This list should include doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and anyone you see due to your pain from the accident. Be sure to keep all receipts from anything you paid out of pocket.
Things like medications, doctor visits, bandages, and crutches should all be covered by the insurance companies. Every single detail that you can recall or prove can give you distinct advantages over the other party involved.
CONSIDER HIRING AN ATTORNEY
It might be a good idea to seek the council of an attorney should you get into an auto accident. You don’t always have to be the victim to need protection. If you feel you need any help at all navigating the injury claim you have, an attorney may be a great consideration to help you heal and protect yourself. Personal injury lawyers specialize in dealing with injury claims and they can explain how it all works and get you the most money possible for your claim. Lawyers are a great asset should there be any disputes about your condition, case, or accident.
So to recap, stay calm, take notes, get treated, hire an attorney. This list is fairly simple and can come in really handy should something ever happen.
