Injured in an accident? The period of time after an accident can often be a confusing and sensitive time. Between recovering from your injuries, speaking with your insurance company, and completing paperwork, you may feel overwhelmed by everything on your plate.
However, the first 24-hours after an accident are the most crucial. If you’re planning on pursuing a personal injury case following an accident, completing the proper steps–like receiving medical treatment–can be pivotal to the successful outcome of your case.
Why is Receiving Medical Treatment so Important After an Accident?
Any type of accident, whether it be due to a car crash, a fall, or a workplace injury, can have serious effects on its victims, often leading to traumatic, permanent limitations, and significant financial losses. The success of your claim may depend on the severity of your injuries and the nature and extent of medical treatment you receive.
Often, your own medical records are the best evidence of your injuries, so it is important that understand how your injuries, and your course of medical treatment, can affect your rights and the outcome of your personal injury claim.
Steps to Take After An Accident
These are the necessary steps to take after an accident caused by the negligence of another individual if you desire an attorney to pursue your case and obtain the compensation you deserve.
1. Seek Medical Treatment
If you have been in an accident and suffered any injury, your first goal should be to seek immediate medical treatment. It is important to obtain a prompt and thorough diagnosis and obtain follow-up care. Injuries can worsen if they are left untreated. In addition, many times, the initial trauma of an accident can mask other complaints, so they are not fully appreciated until days, or weeks, later. A thorough examination soon after your accident may be able to reveal the full extent of your injuries.
It is very important that you tell your doctors about every complaint you may have, no matter how minimal they may seem. If you later make a claim for your injuries, you should be aware that the insurance company and defense attorney will be allowed to obtain copies of all of your medical records. If your complaints are not documented, they may note the absence of complaints in your medical records, and claim that you were not actually injured, or that your injuries are not related to this accident.
2. Report the Accident to the Police and your Insurance Company
If you have any injuries or require any medical treatment, it is critical that you immediately contact your insurance agent, report the accident to the police, and promptly complete any necessary paperwork. If there were any witnesses to your accident, you should collect information from the witnesses as well.
Be aware that there are very short deadlines for reporting injuries. Your failure to promptly report all of your injuries within that time frame could lead to denial of coverage for your injuries.
3. Be Compliant with Your Doctor’s Orders
Lastly, it’s crucial that you carefully follow your doctors’ recommendations and advice, follow up with any specialists that you are referred to, take any medications they prescribe, and return for any scheduled follow-up appointments.
Why? First and foremost, compliance with medical advice will help you heal. But you should also be aware that if your case goes into litigation and you have not treated regularly or obtained recommended care, a savvy defense attorney may argue that you are non-compliant, that you have failed to mitigate your injuries, and that your lack of treatment suggests that you are no longer injured.
Get the Help You Need After You’ve Been Injured in an Accident
Having an experienced personal injury attorney by your side to help guide you through this process after your accident can make all the difference. At Maynard, O’Connor, we routinely help victims of all manner of accidents, and work closely with your doctors and insurance company to ensure that our clients receive fair treatment and the compensation they deserve.
Injured in Albany, Johnstown, Saugerties, Amsterdam, Catskill, Gloversville, Hudson or elsewhere in New York State?
When it comes to pursuing a personal injury case, turn to the attorneys at Maynard, O’Connor, Smith & Catalinotto. Our experienced team can assist you in promptly collecting information, and taking necessary steps to protect your legal interests. We’ll take care of the legal matters so you can focus on getting the medical treatment you need.
Call 1-800-721-3553 or contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
Looking for more information about what to do after an accident? The following resources are a great place to start:
What To Do After A Car Accident: Tips to Protect Yourself and Your Legal Interests – Follow these important steps after a car accident to ensure you qualify for No-Fault coverage.
Do I Still Have a Case If I’m Partially To Blame for the Accident?: Learn about the concept of comparative negligence and find out why you may still be entitled to compensation even if you were partially responsible for the accident that caused your injuries.
Documents and Materials Your Attorney Will Need to Pursue Your Personal Injury Claim – Read our list of essential documents we need to start working on your personal injury case.
Editor’s note: This content was originally published in 2013 but has been updated as of May 2019.
