Car wrecks can be traumatic and you may be confused about what to do after a car accident. However, it is necessary to go to the hospital after suffering injuries during an automobile accident. Although there are many different reasons to seek medical treatment after suffering car accident injuries, this article focuses on five reasons you should go to the hospital after a car accident. By informing yourself about the importance of hospital medical records, you can increase the likelihood that you will be successful personal injury claim process.
1. Establishing a Chronological Record of Your Physical and Psychological Injuries
Hospitals are large organizations that contain many unique departments. If you suffer injuries during an automobile accident, then you need to seek medical assistance at a hospital. Emergency rooms are required to admit you if you suffered catastrophic injuries and need critical care. One of the most important reasons to go to the hospital after a car accident is to ensure that records of your injuries are created, recorded, and stored by the hospital staff members.
Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals will assess your injuries and provide you with medical care. If you do not go to a hospital then you will not be able to obtain these benefits. Having no medical records from a hospital may indicate to insurance companies and opposing counsel that you did not suffer injuries due to the automobile accident. These entities will contest liability, and they will use evidence of the lack of hospital records to argue that you did not seek immediate medical care because you did not suffer any injuries during the roadway accident.
Also, it is important to remember that medical records are voluminous, and the sooner you can begin creating a series of medical records, the easier it will be for your legal team and those involved in the case to ascertain a timeline that corresponds to the medical treatment you received. For example, you may have been scheduled for multiple surgeries, and hospital records should reflect the recommendations made by the physicians who assessed your condition when you entered the hospital.
By having this timeline available, both court personnel and opposing counsel will be able to have a better understanding of how the car accident caused your injuries.
2. Automobile Liability Insurance Claim Requirements
If you do not go to the hospital, then insurance companies may attempt to argue that you did not suffer any injuries during the car accident. You need to focus on obtaining medical treatment as soon as possible after any type of car accident. This will make it more likely that you can recover monetary compensation for your injuries in this type of personal injury case, as you will have a better chance of establishing that the defendants were liable for your injuries.
Some automobile insurance policies and personal injury protection policies (PIP) require that claimants seek medical treatment within a certain time period after suffering injuries during an automobile accident. It is necessary to read your auto insurance policy to confirm if any time limits apply to your case. These deadlines can affect your personal injury case and the policy limits of any insurance policy will also be relevant to the amount of compensation you can recover.
The individual policy will contain the applicable deadline. Some insurers may have different timelines, and it is necessary to consult with an attorney regarding these deadlines. Being informed throughout the course of your auto accident case will ensure that you are in the best position to defend yourself and your legal rights.
3. Some Injuries Do Not Produce Immediately Discernible Symptoms
Your injury symptoms may not become noticeable until hours, days, or even weeks after the date of the crash. Therefore, it is vital that you seek medical care at a hospital even if you do not experience any symptoms at the accident scene. It is difficult to explain to a judge or jury that you did not go to the hospital straight from the scene of the car accident because you did not believe you were injured.
Doctors, nurses, and physician’s assistants will be able to inform you if you suffered any injuries during the automobile collision. If you attempt to diagnose yourself, you will only weaken any future personal injury case associated with the car accident in which you were injured. You may not want to go to the hospital, or you may worry about unpaid medical bills, but it will strengthen your case if you can demonstrate that a medical professional diagnosed you soon after the incident.
Also, you cannot assume that you are fine after a car wreck. You may have suffered a mild concussion back pain after an accident that will begin producing severe symptoms weeks after an auto accident. You may experience trouble sleeping, hallucinations, and emotional dysregulation during this time. Seeing a doctor at a hospital will help you receive medical treatment immediately and make it less likely that further complications will threaten your health.
4. Hospital Medical Records Will Help Establish How Your Injuries Progressed
Hospital medical records will be necessary to establish that your injuries progressed after the date of the incident. If you only have medical records from months or one year after the date of the automobile accident, then it will be difficult to prove that your injuries became more severe over time.
By going to the hospital, you will be able to demonstrate how the nature of your symptoms and your injuries changed over a long period of time. Some patients may stabilize for several months and then deteriorate rapidly due to complications which develop months after the date of a car accident.
5. Calculating Economic Damages and Non-Economic Damages
It is necessary to establish both types of personal injury damages, economic and non-economic, as part of your personal injury case. Calculating economic damages is easier if you have medical records from a hospital. Also, you want to make sure that you note all the costs of any surgeries associated with your medical treatment.
It is much more difficult to calculate non-economic damages because they are based on the accident victim’s subjective experiences. These damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and the loss of enjoyment of life. If you do not seek medical care at a hospital immediately after an auto accident, then it will be more difficult for you to calculate the total non-economic damages amount associated with your case.
The staff notes on your medical records will contain details regarding your demeanor and behavior at the hospital. These details will be relevant to your personal injury case when you are proving damages. The majority of personal injury cases have two primary components: liability and damages. Establishing liability means proving by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendants are liable for the accident victim’s injuries. Calculating the total damages amount means analyzing medical records and determining a probable compensation figure based on the nature and severity of the victim’s injuries as well as the costs of their medical treatment.
6. Contact SMT Legal to Learn More About the Benefits of Going To the Hospital Immediately After Suffering Injuries During an Automobile Accident
The knowledgeable car accident lawyers at SMT Legal can help you seek financial compensation for your injuries after a crash or can advise you on what to do after a car accident. You do not have to wait until you complete your medical treatment to receive legal advice regarding your personal injury claims. We have helped clients throughout Pittsburgh and surrounding areas with their automobile accident claims. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation during which we can discuss the facts of your case.