You may be faced with a decision about whether you need emergency medical care after a car accident and when you should seek it. Many will tell you to see a doctor, but you may not be able to wait that long to make an appointment. The doctor’s office may be closed, or they may not be available to see you.
It may be better to go to a hospital after a car accident. Hospitals will have the equipment necessary to run vital tests on you. If you think that you are feeling less than 100%, you should be cautious with your health and go to the hospital. When you need an attorney who does hospital visits to help you seek financial compensation, the car accident lawyers at Horton & Mendez Injury Attorneys are ready to help you.
Why Go to the Hospital After a Crash?
You may have refused medical treatment at the scene of the accident, or the first responders may have decided that you did not need to go to the hospital. However, when you get home, you may be starting to experience certain symptoms.
You will be the one who needs to make the decision based on what you are feeling. A loved one may notice that you are experiencing symptoms and tell you that they think you need to go to the hospital. You really shouldn’t refuse to go to the ER.
Indicators That You Need to Go to the Hospital
After being in a crash, some signs that you may need to go to the hospital include:
- Headaches
- Abdominal pain
- Dizziness
- Behavioral changes
- Numbness in your extremities
- Severe pain
- Confusion
- Back pain
Take no chances on your health
It makes perfect sense to be cautious when it comes to your own health. There is no reason to “tough it out” when there is a place that you can go to get help. If you feel any type of symptom, there is a strong chance that something is wrong.
Your car accident injuries will linger and may grow worse if you do not see a doctor. The last thing that you want is to lose valuable treatment time that could have made a difference in your condition.
Could Your Case Be Jeopardized If You Don’t Go to the Hospital?
The insurance company is also looking very closely at when you sought medical help for your injuries. If you waited too long to get medical treatment, the insurance company is going to accuse you of making your own situation worse.
They may then not want to cover the costs of all your injuries. They will claim that their policyholder’s actions were only the cause of part of your injuries. Waiting too long to seek help could end up costing you money.
Going to the Hospital Post-Accident
When you go to the hospital emergency room, you should tell the healthcare professionals your symptoms, and they may perform a list of tests on you. In the short term, they would monitor your condition and perhaps give you medication for your symptoms. The emergency room doctor would make a decision on whether to admit you. They may give you instructions about which doctor you need to see for follow-up treatment.
It may be intimidating to go to the hospital on many levels. You may be worried about how long you may need to stay in the hospital and the bill that you may receive. If you are going to have to spend considerable time in the hospital, there is a reason why you needed to go in the first place.
Do not let your injury grow worse by not doing anything
It is far better to go to the emergency room and get sent home than it is to stay at home with an injury that is getting worse.
You will have done the right thing because you are taking care of your own health when necessary. You should never feel embarrassed to ask for help. It is not a sign of weakness at all.
In fact, going to the hospital and seeking help is a sign of strength.
How Your Hospital Medical Bills Get Paid After a Car Accident
If you have health insurance, your carrier will pick up your bills initially. You would be responsible for your share of the costs, whether it is through a co-payment or a deductible.
If the other driver was responsible for the car accident, they would take on the legal obligation to pay your damages. Medical expenses, both the ones you incurred in the past and those you will pay in the future, are part of those damages. Your health insurance company would be reimbursed for the costs of your hospital stay that they covered. You would also be paid back for the money that came out of your pocket. In addition, the responsible driver would also be obligated to pay for your future medical costs, that you would need to be able to estimate at the time you file the claim.
First, you need to establish that the other driver was at fault for your accident. Your car accident attorney can gather evidence that proves what the other did in the events surrounding your crash. They can then compare it to what a reasonable person would have done under the circumstances to show that the other driver was negligent. A lawyer can accurately calculate your damages before they file a claim or lawsuit on your behalf.
Contact a Wilmington Car Accident Attorney Today
If you have been injured in a car accident, and you needed emergency medical treatment, you may be entitled to reimbursement of your hospital stay costs and other damages that you have suffered.
Let the attorneys at Horton & Mendez Injury Attorneys review your case to determine whether you may be eligible for financial compensation. It costs nothing to speak with one of our lawyers, and you do not pay anything unless you win. Call us today at 910-405-7751 or send us a message through our website to begin the legal process.
