WHAT TO DO AFTER AN AUTO ACCIDENT PART 2
Seeking medical attention
The police have taken statements from all involved. Your vehicle is hooked to the tow truck. Your adrenaline is starting to wear off and the pain in your back, neck, head, and leg is increasing by the minute. You are thinking, “What do I do now?”
Take a deep breath. If you are in an ambulance, you are probably in good hands. If you are conscious and able to speak, answer all the ambulance emergency medical technician’s questions as best you can. If you are not in an ambulance, but you are hurting, seek medical attention immediately. Whether it is an urgent care, emergency room, or your physician, see a healthcare provider for your pain to make sure there are no hidden, serious injuries. You may think to yourself, “I’m okay.” However, after practicing as personal injury lawyers for 25 years, it has been our experience that following a car accident, no matter how minor, the pain almost always comes. Any delay in visiting a healthcare provider after your car accident, cannot only negatively affect your personal injury claim, it can also result in serious health complications.
When you see a healthcare provider, tell them everywhere you hurt, ache, sting, feel numbness or tingling, or if you feel dizziness or nausea. If you lost consciousness, tell them. The healthcare provider is your friend. Be honest, be as descriptive as possible about your injuries, be patient, and be cooperative to get the best care possible. If you have allergies to certain medications, tell them. If the pain medication you have been given is not working, do not be a hero and keep it to yourself—tell them if you are still hurting. Remember, be honest about all your injuries no matter how minor while being treated, because anything you keep to yourself will come back to bite you later if you choose to make a personal injury claim.
Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions. Read the paperwork you are given when discharged. Often, those papers give instructions on what to do next to take care of yourself. If you are instructed to fill prescriptions for medicine or medical devices or seek a follow-up appointment with another healthcare provider, do it immediately. Your health depends on it. If you choose to make a personal injury claim, your claim will depend on it.
Talk to a skilled Houston personal injury attorney
If you have been injured in an auto collision or know someone who has, call the Houston personal injury attorneys at Livingston & Flowers today to schedule a free consultation and discuss your options moving forward.
