Car Accident Injury: What to Do if You Were a Car Crash Victim
November 18, 2019
It's common for car crash victims to not want to see a doctor after a crash. If you don't feel injured, you don't see a reason to take the time to see a doctor. You could also have pain but may refuse to see a doctor because you don't think that you want to take the trouble to sue the at-fault driver. After an automobile accident occurs, however, you could be seriously injured and not even know it.
Why You Don't Feel Pain After a Car Accident
The reason that you don't feel any pain after a car crash is because of the increase in adrenaline in your body. Adrenaline or epinephrine is a hormone, and it causes your heart to beat faster and prepares you to fight or take flight. This is why you won't feel any pain even if you have car accident injuries. The adrenaline will wear off the next day, and you will be surprised about how much pain you can experience. This is the most important reason that you must see an auto injury doctor after a car crash.
The possibility that you have serious injuries that you wouldn't necessarily know about also exists. For example, car accident victims are often diagnosed with concussions after car crashes. In addition to that, your internal organs may also have been injured, and this results in internal bleeding. You need to see a doctor to be evaluated for injuries such as these.
You may not think that you are going to sue the at-fault driver because you don't know that you have any injuries, but after you visit your doctor, you may learn that you are actually seriously hurt. At that point, you may change your mind about filing a lawsuit, but it will be much more difficult for your lawyer to prove your case.
The Consequences of Delayed Treatment
When you finally decide to file a claim against the at-fault driver, his attorney will use the fact that you didn't go to the doctor right away against you. For example, the attorney will claim that the injury was caused by something that occurred after the car accident took place. Your attorney will have a harder time convincing the judge or jury that the injury was the result of the accident.
The attorney could also suggest that you always had the pain and that her client didn't do anything to exacerbate it. You may have been to a chiropractor or a doctor for back pain in the past, and the at-fault driver's attorney will point this out as the reason for your present pain.
Lastly, the attorney will ask you why you didn't go to the doctor immediately after the accident occurred. The attorney will suggest that you are filing a lawsuit now because you want to see if you can get some money and that you aren't seriously hurt.
Get Treatment for Your Car Accident Injury
It is imperative that you see a pain specialist as soon as possible after you are in a car crash so that your injuries can be treated. A pain specialist can also document your injury and treatment in the event that you decide to file a lawsuit.
If you have any questions about a car accident injury or need to be professionally treated, don't hesitate to contact our team at Greater Austin Pain Center today!