Getting Compensated for Injuries That Present Themselves Later

The moments following a car collision are confusing and fuzzy.  Just a minute ago you may have been stopped at a red light thinking about dinner, and now you are holding your head listening to the sound of your horn blasting.  What just happened?  What happened was you were just the victim of a car crash, one of 18,000 that happened today.  Even though you may not be thinking straight, it is important to try and focus.  What you do after a collision could have a lasting impact on any claim you need to file in the future.

What to do after a car accident

The very first thing you need to do is check yourself and any passengers for injury.  If possible everyone should get out of the car as quickly as possible, but if you, or someone else in the car, are immobilized you should wait for paramedics to arrive.  A trained professional should move a person with a severe neck or back injury if at all possible.  Once you have everyone out of the car and safely out of the way of traffic call the police and 911 if necessary. 

At this point you should get in contact with a car accident lawyer before speaking with any insurance adjusters.

Even for the most level headed people, it is difficult to remain calm after an accident, but imperative that you do so.  Other than a civil exchange of insurance and contact information, you should avoid speaking with the driver of the other vehicle.  Even a simple “I’m sorry” could be misconstrued as an admission of guilt. 

Try and record as much of the scene as possible, including where the cars are in relation to one another and any skid marks.  Take pictures with your cell phone camera and write down any relevant events that you remember.  Critical details may be overlooked by you later on down the road.  Having a written recollection of the scene can help.  See if there is anyone there who witnessed the accident happen and get contact information from them.

Why seek medical attention?

Some car accident victims do not feel it necessary to seek immediate medical attention, especially in a low impact crash.  If you do decide to forgo a trip to the emergency room, it is suggested that you at least make an appointment with your primary care physician for a check-up.  Whiplash and concussion symptoms do not always present themselves right away. 

Such was the case with a passenger in a car that was clipped by a passing vehicle.  Both vehicles pulled aside and contacted law enforcement, but at the scene there were no reported injuries.  The passenger resumed her life as normal but over the next few weeks started to suffer from headaches and neck pain.  A month after the accident, when she started experiencing tingling sensations in her arm, she went to the hospital.  An MRI showed that there was recent spinal damage that needed surgical repair.  The combined total for medical expenses and lost wages was $52,010 and the insurance companies agreed to settle for $211,000.

Contact an Attorney

Following the guidelines of remaining calm, contacting the police, and exchanging insurance information benefited the young passenger.  Had the accident been undocumented it would have been very difficult to prove her medical condition was a result of it a month later.  Don’t start kicking yourself for not going to the hospital if you have started to feel pain a few days or even weeks after an accident.  Contact a personal injury lawyer at The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. by calling (314) 361-4242 and scheduling a free consultation.