Should I Go to a Hospital After a Car Accident?
After a car accident, an emergency medical team may respond to the scene and ask if you want to go to the hospital. If you feel alright, you may not want to ride to the hospital in an ambulance. However, you should seek medical care after a car accident.
Accident victims may wonder, Why should I go to the hospital after a car accident? Many car accident victims hesitate to seek medical treatment for many reasons. The adrenaline immediately after an accident may make them feel okay, yet they’re suddenly in extreme pain a day or so later. Or perhaps, they’re concerned about the cost of medical treatment. Fear of medical bills should not prevent someone from seeking medical care.
Those in car accidents should seek medical care. People often suffer from injuries that aren’t immediately apparent, some of which can be life-threatening. If another party caused the car accident, victims could get compensation for their financial losses through a personal injury claim. Flint Cooper has extensive experience representing individuals injured in car accidents so they can obtain compensation for their medical care after a car accident. Contact Flint Cooper today.
Why Should I Go to the Hospital After a Car Accident?
First and foremost, a person’s health is a priority following a car crash. Even if someone does not feel any pain after a car accident, seeking a medical evaluation is still a good idea. The human body produces additional adrenaline due to the sudden stress caused by the accident. This excess adrenaline may prevent a person from feeling pain, even if they have car accident injury symptoms. While some injuries are obvious, others may linger beneath the surface and go undiscovered without a medical evaluation.
When a car accident victim goes to the hospital, medical personnel will ask basic questions and conduct tests that reveal any possible injuries. Along with providing treatment, the hospital will document the car accident injuries in a medical record. Documentation of injuries is vital evidence for a personal injury case.
In addition to not waiting to seek medical treatment, do not delay contacting a personal injury attorney after a car accident. The attorneys at Flint Cooper help those injured in car accidents determine if they qualify to file a claim or a lawsuit. Contact Flint Cooper today to schedule an appointment.
What Kind of Injuries Happen in Car Accidents?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over two million people in the United States suffered injuries in police-reported car accidents in 2020. People suffer from a wide variety of injuries after a car accident. Sometimes, the type of injury a person suffers depends on the kind of car accident.
For example, the victim of a rear-end collision may suffer from injuries such as:
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- A concussion
- Bruising from a seatbelt
There are other back and neck-related injuries a person can experience from a rear-end collision.
Side-impact or T-bone crashes present additional risks to drivers and passengers due to the lack of protection on the side panels of vehicles. In a side-impact collision, there is less of a barrier between the occupants and the opposing vehicle. Therefore, side-impact crashes can result in severe injuries, including:
- Internal injuries
- Burns
- Broken and fractured bones
- Cuts and abrasions
- Road rash
- Paralysis
Remember, even if someone does not realize it immediately, they may need medical attention. Many of these injuries do not present immediately after the accident. See a doctor right away if you or a loved one are in a car crash.
What If I Do Not Go to the Hospital After a Car Accident?
A car accident victim’s injuries can worsen if they delay medical treatment. Many of these injuries are life-threatening. Delaying treatment for non-life-threatening injuries can cause the injuries to worsen. In that case, the opposing party may claim the injured party suffered the injuries after the accident but before they went to the hospital. Or they can argue that the court should reduce the accident victim’s compensation because the delayed treatment caused the injuries to worsen. Thus, going to the hospital after a car accident is crucial to a person’s well-being and potential personal injury claim.
Car Accident Victims Can Contact Flint Cooper Today
Flint Cooper is dedicated to pursuing justice and providing excellent representation to victims injured by negligence. The personal injury attorneys at Flint Cooper are aggressive negotiators and don’t flinch at the prospect of taking cases to trial. Flint Cooper is a nationally recognized law firm with a reputation for fiercely fighting on behalf of our clients. Do not hesitate to contact Flint Cooper today to fight for you in a car accident claim.
About the author:
Greg Smith
Greg is a personal injury attorney at Flint Cooper, a law firm specializing in complex litigation. Greg specializes in wrongful death, semi-truck accidents, automobile collisions, maritime claims, and many other areas of personal injury. He has extensive experience litigating claims in state and federal courts, as well as administrative agencies.
