3 Essential Reasons to See a Doctor After a Truck Wreck
Many truck accident victims are confused about what they should do in the immediate aftermath of their collisions. Dealing with a truck collision effectively requires people to do many things. Some people put off getting medical care following collisions with trucks. However, you should seek medical attention any time you have been involved in a collision with a large truck. Even if you do not initially think that you have been injured, you might have hidden injuries that may not show symptoms for hours or days that could worsen without prompt medical treatment. Here are three reasons why you should seek immediate medical attention following a collision with a large truck from the attorneys at Raynes & Lawn.
1. Protecting your health
Some people hesitate to see a doctor after a truck collision because they might not have obvious injuries. However, some types of injuries may not evince symptoms for days following a collision, and delays in treatment can be potentially devastating. For example, a bruise might involve more than what it first appears. While it could just be a surface bruise, it could also be a symptom of organ damage and internal bleeding.
Right after an accident, people’s bodies release adrenaline. Adrenaline can mask initial symptoms of injuries. Injuries might also not show immediate symptoms or might initially go unnoticed. Because of this, you should watch for changing symptoms or worsening pain. Some types of injuries for which diagnoses are commonly delayed after a truck wreck include the following:
Traumatic brain injuries
Traumatic brain injuries are common types of injuries in collisions involving large trucks. When the forces released in a collision are forceful, they can cause the brain to contact the skull. Victims with TBIs might suffer a buildup of pressure from internal bleeding, torn blood vessels, and damaged brain tissue. If a serious traumatic brain injury is not promptly treated, a victim can suffer permanent brain damage, paralysis, coma, or memory loss.
Spinal cord and back injuries
If you delay seeing a doctor after a truck crash for spinal, shoulder, or back pain, you could suffer serious consequences. These types of symptoms might indicate that you have a more serious injury than a strain or whiplash. Soft tissue injuries, herniated disks, and pinched nerves can worsen over time and cause decreased mobility and chronic pain. Swelling and other related side effects of a spinal cord injury can result in permanent paralysis if they are not treated promptly.
Internal bleeding
Internal bleeding sometimes does not show early symptoms beyond minor bruising and abdominal pain. However, it can be life-threatening. Bruising from internal bleeding is frequently a deep purple color. Other symptoms of internal bleeding can include fainting and dizziness.
Psychological trauma
While many people experience anxiety and stress after being involved in a truck accident, some people suffer post-traumatic stress disorder and severe anxiety. Without prompt treatment, an initially minor reaction can turn into a psychological disorder.
2. Proving the validity of your claim
To prove a personal injury claim involving a truck collision, you will have the burden of proving that the negligent party directly or proximately caused your injuries and harm. If you are unable to prove that the defendant’s actions caused your injuries, you will not prevail in your case. By seeing a doctor immediately after a truck accident, you can use the records from the emergency department and your treating medical professionals to show a causal link between the accident and your injuries. Your medical records can also help to show the extent and severity of your injuries.
If you wait for several weeks or months before seeing a doctor for treatment of your injuries, the insurance company will likely argue that they were caused by an intervening event. Waiting too long to see a doctor after an accident can seriously harm your claim and could result in you not recovering any compensation for your losses.
3. Increasing your claim’s strength
When you see a doctor or go to the emergency department immediately after a truck crash, your symptoms, clinical presentation, restrictions, and treatment recommendations will be documented. This information can be used by your truck accident attorney to estimate the cost of your future medical care, calculate your damages, and assess your ability to return to your job. This information can then help your attorney to build a settlement strategy to recover fair compensation for all of your losses. You should also follow all of your doctor’s treatment recommendations and any restrictions you are given.
Types of records needed for a truck accident claim
After a truck accident, you should request medical records to demonstrate the severity and extent of your injuries and any treatment you have received. Some of the types of document you will want to request will depend on your injuries and could include the following:
- Ambulance/paramedic records
- Doctor’s notes
- Nurses’ notes
- Treatment records
- Surgical records
- Prescription records
- Diagnosis and prognosis
- Documentation of current and long-term care needs
The trucking company’s insurance company might contact you and ask you to sign a medical authorization. It might tell you that it needs access to your medical records to confirm the extent of your injuries as a part of the claims process. You should not agree to sign a medical authorization from the trucking carrier’s insurance company and have no legal obligation to speak to them. Insurance companies use medical authorizations to pore through the entire medical records of accident victims to try to find an earlier incident on which to blame their injuries.
Get help from an experienced truck collision attorney
After you have sought medical treatment for your injuries from a truck crash, you should then contact an experienced truck collision attorney for help with your claim. Call Raynes & Lawn today at 1-800-535-1797 for more information about your rights.
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