There are numerous safety precautions everyone should take to lessen the impact of a car crash. One Memphis family learned this when a mother texted a father driving with their child. The mom reminded the dad to use the baby seat, and a few minutes later, the pair was in a traffic collision. Luckily, the baby was all right.
In low-speed car accidents, you may feel perfectly fine immediately afterward. However, a few minor aches could actually mask soft tissue damage, which is common for whiplash. You severely jeopardize your future insurance claim if you neglect to receive a medical diagnosis immediately after the collision.
Some symptoms take days to appear
After any traumatic event, such as a car crash, the body produces adrenaline. This hormone tends to mask pain, so you may not be aware of some pain until the next day. Additionally, even a low-speed crash where the vehicles did not travel faster than 5 mph can result in concussions. Delaying treatment can exacerbate certain symptoms, so prompt attention can help you on your path to recovery.
You may not be able to receive as much in compensation
Even waiting a couple of days to see a doctor can affect how much you can receive in compensation to pay for any ensuing medical bills. The reason for this is that from the insurance company’s perspective, there is no longer a clear, direct correlation between the car accident and the injury. An insurance agent could claim you sustained the injury elsewhere and merely want to get any treatments paid for by the auto insurance company.
Additionally, you now share some of the liability for the injuries. Even if you can show the car accident caused the injury, they could make an argument that your intentional delay in receiving treatment further complicated your injuries. You now share some of the blame, and you may not receive as much or anything in damages.
