Photo Credit: Sierra Price
If you are a victim of a car accident or a slip/fall incident, it is important that you seek medical treatment right away. Your injuries are usually first documented on the scene of the accident/incident if paramedics come to treat, evaluate, and/or transport you to the hospital. Injuries are also documented when you first present to the hospital, urgent care, your primary care physician, including a chiropractor, physical therapist, orthopedic doctor or any other medical doctor/medical facility. It is important that all of your injuries are documented; therefore, you should tell your medical provider how you were injured (car accident, slip/fall, etc.), where you were injured within or on your body - even if there are no visible injuries. Please inform your medical provider of any pain or discomfort you are experiencing, if there are any, as a result of the accident/incident.
Hematomas, abrasions, burns, (including road rash and seat belt burns) as well as other bruises/contusions - are sometimes easily seen; however, some injuries that may not be easily recognizable to the naked eye are soft tissues injuries such as neck pain (whiplash), headaches, upper back pain, lower back pain, midback pain, strains, sprains, muscle spasms, and some fractures among other injuries. Sometimes these injuries are best diagnosed by palpation (process of using one's hands to examine the body), or via CT Scans, X-Rays, MRI’s or other diagnostic testing.
Many injured victims may not feel pain for 1-3 days (sometimes longer) after being injured. Sometimes it’s because they are in shock and do not notice all of the aches and pain right away. Sometimes it’s a gradual progression or worsening of pain. Also, there may be a situation where one may have pain in multiple areas of their body, but they are focused on the pain that is more severe as opposed to other areas of pain that may be more tolerable but nonetheless need medical attention. This is why it is very important to get checked after you have been injured especially due to an injury that occurred through no fault of your own.
Insurance carriers often look at the time frame of when you presented for initial treatment. They also look for what is known as gaps in treatment, sporadic treatment, delayed treatment, and obviously if you did not at all. If you do not seek medical treatment within a reasonable amount of time and you do not treat in a consistent manner, it could indicate to the at-fault insurance carrier that you were either not injured, or your injuries were not severe and are considered soft tissues injuries which did not require ongoing treatment. If they make this assessment about your injuries, it could reduce the amount of your monetary award/recovery.
Summarily, if it is that you are a victim of a car accident or a slip/fall incident and are referred to having additional ongoing treatment and/or further diagnostic testing, please adhere to the medical advice of your provider. It is important to your potential claim/case that you follow your doctor’s orders because if it is documented in your medical records/doctors’ notes that you were not compliant with the doctor’s treatment plan, it could reduce your monetary recovery and/or cause you to not recover on your claim at all.
Your best way to maximize recovery on your claim is to seek treatment for your injuries as soon as possible and follow through with your doctor’s treatment plan without exception.
