If you’ve been involved in a slip and fall, car accident, or similar accident that has the potential to leave you with injuries, you may be able to recover compensation for your medical bills and various other losses. For example, if your accident deprived you of the ability to work and earn a living, you might also be eligible to recover compensation for your lost wages if your accident resulted from another party’s negligence.
Whether you successfully recover compensation in these circumstances will typically depend on whether you took certain essential steps in the immediate aftermath of your accident. Examples include reporting the accident to any relevant parties (such as the police in the case of an auto accident, the property manager or owner in the case of an accident on someone else’s property, etc.), documenting the scene of the accident, and meeting with a personal injury attorney to discuss your legal options.
Your chances of securing a payout will also be much greater if you seek medical attention immediately after your accident occurs. Naturally, if your accident results in an injury that you notice right away, you would likely see a doctor as soon as possible.
However, some accident victims sustain injuries without noticing they have been harmed right away. The signs of their injuries may not be noticeable until days or even weeks later. Thus, they might not see doctors until they realize they have sustained harm that requires medical treatment.
It’s understandable if someone involved in an accident chooses not to see a doctor right away if they don’t believe they have been injured. Nevertheless, this is a mistake which can significantly limit one’s chances of receiving proper compensation if they decide to file a claim or lawsuit later.
Insurance companies are not incentivized to properly compensate accident victims. Insurance companies are still businesses, and business owners strive to avoid losing money whenever they can.
That’s why many insurance adjusters are encouraged by their employers to seek justifications they may use to deny claims. When an insurance company can’t deny a claim entirely, it will usually still offer less compensation than a claimant deserves.
Consider this when deciding if it’s worth your time to see a doctor after an accident if you don’t feel you’ve been injured. Again, it’s possible your injuries won’t be easy to detect right away. Wait until you experience symptoms to seek medical attention, and you might jeopardize your chances of recovering compensation, as an insurer could suggest your injuries were caused by an unrelated incident that has no connection with the accident that’s the focus of your claim or lawsuit. You might find it difficult to argue otherwise if you didn’t see a doctor right away when your accident occurred.
At Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman, our Pittsburgh personal injury attorneys know that winning a case is always easier when an accident victim has made the choice to see a doctor in the aftermath of said accident. However, a case can be won even when a victim has waited to seek medical attention. Contact us online to learn more.