Anytime a person is involved in a vehicle accident, they need to seek medical care as quickly as possible. This helps ensure that there is a solid link between the crash and that an individual can begin prompt medical treatment. However, there are times when individuals put off seeking medical care for various reasons. Here, we want to discuss how long after a car accident you can claim an injury. Please understand that insurance carriers have strict reporting deadlines, and it is crucial to make these claims as promptly as possible.
We always recommend that individuals seek medical care as soon as possible after a vehicle accident occurs. Depending on the situation, this may include seeking treatment from emergency medical personnel and taking an ambulance to the hospital. Even if this does not occur, we always recommend that crash victims go right to a doctor or emergency clinic so they can be evaluated, even if their injuries do not seem very severe.
The simple fact is that there are many car accident injuries that do not appear until the hours or days after the crash occurs. When a person receives prompt medical attention, a doctor may be able to spot these hidden injuries and initiate treatment quicker.
We completely understand that there are times when individuals choose not to seek immediate medical care. This can occur because they may not feel any initial pain.
If you have been involved in a vehicle accident and begin to notice the signs and symptoms of an injury, we recommend that you go to the doctor as soon as possible. Even if you did not seek immediate medical care following an accident, this does not mean that you will not be able to recover compensation for any subsequent injuries. Though it may be more challenging to prove that your injuries are related to a vehicle accident, it is not impossible.
When you do go to the doctor, you need to let the nurses and the doctor know that you have recently been in a vehicle accident so they can mark this down in their notes to make it an official part of your record. A doctor can conduct an evaluation and likely determine whether or not your current injuries were caused by the mechanisms of a vehicle accident. The more information your doctor has about how an injury likely occurred, the more successful their treatments will be.
We recommend that you contact a skilled car accident attorney in Santa Ana as soon as possible after the incident occurs. Car accident claims can become challenging, particularly if the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier refuses to offer a fair settlement or if they deny a claim altogether. When you involve an attorney, they will conduct a full investigation into the incident in order to gather any evidence needed to prove liability.
Additionally, an attorney will ensure that you work with trusted medical and economic experts who can help adequately calculate your total expected losses. Using this information, your attorney will send a demand letter to the insurance carriers asking for a complete payment for your medical bills, lost wages, property damage expenses, and any long-term care needs.