Car crashes are an unfortunate fact of life, and a risk we take every day when we choose to drive. Being aware of what steps to take can make a big difference in the aftermath of a crash. These steps are especially important if your car accident resulted in injury and you need to file a personal injury claim.
- Check for injuries and call 911 if necessary. Check for any injuries to all parties involved in the crash and call an ambulance if needed.
- Call Police: Regardless of the injuries sustained, the police should be called. They can be helpful at the crash site and a police report is a valuable piece of evidence you will need when filing a claim.
- Exchange Information: Collect information from all other parties involved in the crash as well as any witnesses to the car accident. This will also be a crucial part of evidence to use during the claims process.
- Document the Crash Site: Take pictures of all vehicles involved in the crash and document everything from the crash site.
- Seek Medical Treatment: Whether you’re feeling an injury or not, you should always see your doctor following a car accident. All these steps are critical following a car accident and should not be neglected. Getting medical attention, however, is often neglected but shouldn’t be.
Why is seeking medical treatment after a car accident so important?
Protects Your Health and Your Future
The moments after a car accident can leave an accident victim disoriented, making it hard to think clearly. The body is in shock and often causes people to leave the crash without first receiving medical attention. When the body is in shock, it can mask underlying pain or injuries. Be sure to stay at the scene and seek medical attention before leaving. If you have pain, an obvious injury, then do not wait. Whatever else you had planned or happening needs to wait. Your health and wellbeing is the most important thing to take care of in this moment.
The First Three Days are Crucial
The first 72 hours following an injury are the most important. Once the adrenaline in your body has worn off, you can experience delayed pain and injuries. These are injuries that manifest themselves in the days and weeks following the crash. Visiting a healthcare professional within the first three days after a car accident gives you the best chance of identifying symptoms, detecting potential injuries, and starting immediate treatment for any injuries already obvious from the crash. The sooner you can identify the injuries the easier they are to address and treat. It’s not just the physical injuries that need attention either, the mental and emotional damages caused by a car accident can be just as traumatic as the physical ones. Don’t let these injuries go untreated.
No matter your level of pain or injury, we encourage you to visit one of our four Axcess Accident Centers to help you have the best chance at recovery possible. A delayed diagnosis can result in improper treatment or injuries that never heal or heal improperly, further delaying your recovery and potentially causing irreversible damage.
Never assume an injury will just take care of itself. Avoidance in dealing with an injury can also lead to longer recovery times, more missed work days, and even loss of daily activities.
Protects Your Personal Injury Claim
After seeking medical treatment and receiving the care you need, it is recommended that you hire a personal injury attorney. Particularly, if you have sustained significant injuries, or if your medical bills are not being covered by insurance. An attorney can help you with the paperwork and communication between you and the insurance company and are skilled in negotiating settlement terms.
Seeking medical treatment and keeping detailed records of all care and treatments received will be crucial pieces of evidence in your personal injury claim. Getting immediate medical attention following a car crash establishes the connection between the car crash and your injuries, making it harder for an insurance company to argue that the injuries you have were not caused by the accident. Sometimes insurance companies try to pin your symptoms on a “pre-existing” condition, and here in Utah those pre-existing conditions should not limit your ability to make and receive a claim. Which is an argument insurance companies will try to make, especially against those who did not seek medical attention right away. This, in turn, can cause an insurance company to lower or even outright deny your settlement claim.
Don’t Delay Getting Care. Contact Your Local Utah Auto Accident Chiropractor and Rehabilitation Center Today!
At Axcess Accident Center, we are a group of chiropractors, massage therapists, and team members who specialize in treating patients who have suffered injuries as the result of a car accident, or other injury. We take car accident injury recovery seriously and are committed to excellence and chiropractic rehabilitation that is focused on helping every patient. We treat and rehabilitate injuries such as whiplash, back and neck pain, and shoulder and knee pain.
Axcess Accident Center offers free evaluations and free messages to individuals who have been injured in a car crash within the past 45 days.
We have four locations throughout Northern Utah in American Fork, Provo, Spanish Fork, and West Valley. We are here to support you in living an extraordinary life, and that also means helping you to get the best recovery possible. Call us today at (801) 701-8222 or complete the form on our website to schedule a free evaluation today
