Why It’s So Important to Visit a Doctor After a Car Accident

If you were recently involved in a car accident but you were able to walk away from the scene, visiting a doctor may not be a priority. Even if it happened to be a minor fender bender, though, you might have suffered whiplash, brain damage, or worse.

Both soft tissue injuries and head trauma can have subtle symptoms, especially in the immediate aftermath of their occurrence; however, rapid medical intervention may be necessary to prevent complications. A delayed diagnosis could allow your condition to deteriorate rapidly, for example, until it causes irreversible damage.

As such, it’s essential to visit a doctor promptly following any kind of collision—even if you think you sustained little more than bruises and lacerations. Undergoing a comprehensive evaluation will identify any injuries that aren’t manifesting symptoms yet and addressing them before they do may improve the prognosis.

Should you decide to take legal action, seeking prompt medical attention could also contribute to the strength of your case. Personal injury claimants have an obligation to mitigate damages. In addition to visiting a doctor right away, that means following their physician’s orders over the course of their treatment.

If you fail to address your injuries immediately—or you return to work before your doctor has approved you to do so—you could be deemed liable for any complications that result. Since Florida follows a pure comparative negligence rule, shouldering even a small portion of liability could influence your net recovery.

Under this rule, a plaintiff’s total award must be reduced by his or her own percentage of fault. That means if you are found 30 percent liable for the severity of your injuries because you failed to mitigate damages, you would be entitled to just 70 percent of the total losses you incur. But even if you are found 90 percent liable, you could still seek damages for the remaining 10 percent. Of course, if you intend to bring a claim against your no-fault insurance (personal injury protection), whether or not you were partially liable won’t have a bearing on your right to recover.

What Are Some Minor Symptoms That Might Be Indicative of a Major Problem?

It’s impossible to ignore serious issues like deep lacerations and broken bones following a wreck. Since even minor symptoms can be indicative of a major problem, though, the following issues shouldn’t be ignored, either:

Chronic fatigue.
Numbness or tingling in the limbs.
Persistent headaches.
Trouble concentrating.
Poor memory.
Sleep disturbances.
Nausea and vomiting.
Blurred vision.
Ringing in the ears; and
Extreme irritability.

Even if you don’t experience any of the above, it’s in your best interests to visit a doctor as soon as possible following any kind of forceful impact. Prompt medical attention not only could protect your health but may also bolster your subsequent personal injury claim. Just make sure to document every appointment and to save all relevant medical records, prescriptions, and diagnostic images.

Discuss Your Case with an Accident Lawyer in Stuart

If you were hurt in a wreck through no fault of your own, turn to Donaldson & Weston. Our personal injury attorneys have the knowledge, resources, and tenacity to see your case through to the end, even if that means going to trial. Call 772-266-5555 or use our Online Contact Form to set up a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Stuart.