After a car crash, many people just want to go home and rest. There is a familiarity about going home that makes it desirable, even though heading home may not be the right option based on their injuries.
As someone who has been hurt, it is important for you to seek medical care and to be sure that you have documentation of your injury. If you don’t get that documentation, it may be harder for you to make a claim for compensation later on when you need it most.
Why is seeking medical attention so important after a crash?
One of the things to remember is that you may not realize how serious your injuries are. As a result, you could go home and see those injuries worsen over the next 24 to 48 hours or so. Delayed-onset injuries and symptoms that worsen over time can cause lasting damage.
Early treatment may help minimize the complications from head trauma, damage to the spinal cord or internal injuries. If you wait too long to seek care, there is a risk that injuries may become more complex or have complications that are more difficult to treat.
There is also the risk that the insurance company handling your claim will argue that your injuries were not caused by the collision if you didn’t seek help at the time. To avoid having to argue about when your injuries happened, seeking immediate emergency medical care is important.
Whether you drive yourself or take an ambulance to the hospital, make sure the medical provider knows that you were in a car crash. That way, you’ll be able to start documenting your injuries.