How Soon Should I Visit a Doctor After Suffering a Personal Injury?
There’s always a lot to do in the wake of a serious accident. As such, injured parties tend to put off seeking treatment. Just because your condition isn’t life-threatening, however, doesn’t mean your health shouldn’t be a priority.
If you were severely hurt, visit a doctor as soon as possible. In addition to protecting your health and wellbeing, seeking prompt medical care will strengthen your subsequent personal injury claim.
Let’s examine why you should seek medical care right away if you’re ever involved in an accident:
To Protect Your Health & Well-being
Even if you feel relatively fine after the incident, you should undergo a comprehensive medical exam within 24 hours. Despite their critical nature, impact injuries like internal bleeding and brain damage can present with seemingly minor symptoms that aren’t necessarily alarming. Without prompt intervention, however, serious complications could arise.
By visiting a doctor right away, you can ensure immediate treatment. This, in turn, could lend to a more promising prognosis.
To Strengthen Your Personal Injury Claim
Seeking care shortly after the accident will ensure the injuries you sustained are officially documented. This will make it easier to prove both causation and damages during the subsequent proceedings.
It will also demonstrate a commitment to mitigating damages. If you postpone treatment, the opposing party might try to shift some liability to you by asserting that your damages wouldn’t be as severe had you visited a doctor in a timely manner. This could reduce the total payout to which you are entitled.
How Soon Should I Call a Lawyer After Suffering a Personal Injury?
If the first call you make after an accident is to your physician, the second should be to a personal injury attorney. A resourceful lawyer will conduct a thorough investigation to determine if you have grounds for a claim. If you do, your legal team can:
- Obtain time-sensitive evidence before it’s altered or destroyed;
- Interview eyewitnesses while their memory of the incident is still fairly detailed;
- Handle all correspondence with the opposing party;
- Track all damages;
- Keep you from missing any critical filing deadlines;
- Help you avoid making mistakes that might jeopardize the strength of your claim; and
- Prepare your case for trial, even if a settlement is the expected outcome.
You will undoubtedly have other priorities following an injury-causing accident. If you were hurt in a car wreck, for example, you may have to secure alternative transportation and arrange for a coworker to cover your shifts until you can return to the office.
Regardless of the circumstances, however, your first priority should be your health, and by enlisting help from a personal injury lawyer right away, it can be. You will be able to focus on your rehabilitation while your case proceeds in good hands.
Call (605) 777-7466to Speak with a Personal Injury Attorney in Rapid City
If you sustained serious injuries through no fault of your own, contact Beardsley, Jensen & Lee, PLLC. Our founding partners carry the highest rating conferred by Martindale-Hubbell.
We have the resources, knowledge, and experience to pursue sizable settlements and verdicts for accident victims and their families. Call (605) 777-7466 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Rapid City.
