See a Doctor After a Car Wreck – Even if You Feel Fine
You step out of your now-crumpled car to survey the damage caused by a driver who struck your car while speeding through an intersection. While your car appears to be totaled, you (surprisingly) do not feel too bad. In fact, other than a soreness in your shoulder that is probably due to your seatbelt, you do not feel as if you have been bruised or injured in any significant way. However, even if you feel as if you are in good health after a car crash there are good reasons to seek out medical evaluation and care nonetheless.
The Power of Adrenaline After a Crash
When you are involved in a auto accident (just as is true in any other stressful situation), your body pumps adrenaline throughout your body to prepare your body for action. Adrenaline is the hormone that helps us fight or flee from danger when we find ourselves in dangerous circumstances. Adrenaline also dulls our ability to sense and perceive pain (after all, if we are in intense pain we are not likely to flee from danger if we need to do so). As a result, that “fine” feeling you have immediately after a wreck may be nothing more than adrenaline coursing through your body. You may not be able to tell that you have actually been seriously injured until the adrenaline wears off some time later.
The Physical Danger of Delaying Evaluation and Treatment
Refusing to see a doctor or medical professional after a car accident is a decision fraught with danger to your physical health. Some conditions (such as traumatic brain injuries and internal bleeding) can quickly worsen and threaten your life if they are not promptly diagnosed and treated. The damage such injuries caused can quickly compound and, in some cases, become permanent. What is more, the prognosis for many car accident-related injuries improves greatly when timely treatment is obtained.
The Legal Risks of Delayed Evaluation and Treatment
Beyond the legal dangers, failing to obtain timely medical treatment can also jeopardize your chances of obtaining full compensation for your injuries. Failing to obtain medical care and treatment after a motor vehicle accident can be considered an unreasonable, negligent act. If such an act contributes to the severity of your injuries, The amount of compensation you are actually able to recover from the at-fault party in your car wreck will be reduced in proportion to the amount of fault is attributable to you for your injuries and losses.
Speak with the Long Island Accident Lawyers at the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP
Once you have secured medical care and treatment for your car accident-related injuries, turn to the Long Island car accident lawyers from Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP for help in recovering monetary compensation for those injuries. We can help you take the appropriate steps following a crash so that your opportunity to recover full and fair compensation is maximized. Call our office today at(866) 580-1960 for a free, no-obligation consultation or reach out to us online for help.
For a free legal consultation, call 516-358-6900
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