If you are bleeding or have an obvious injury, paramedics will assess your condition and, if needed, transport you to the hospital for treatment. In many cases, however, the injuries are not as obvious. The stress of the accident and adrenaline in your body immediately after the crash may “hide” some of your symptoms, leading you to believe you are not badly injured. In addition, bruising and swelling can occur during the hours following the accident so you end up feeling worse later.
It is surprising how many people will refuse medical treatment at the scene of an accident and go home, only to end up at the emergency room a few hours later. The reasons I have heard range from lack of health insurance and fear of medical bills to, “I thought it was just the shock and my pain would improve after a while.”
In most situations the pain will increase in the hours or days following an accident. The majority of medical professionals agree that most pain after an accident occurs 48-72 hours after the collision. That’s right, two to three days after the actual accident. In order to rule out more serious injuries, and decrease the pain and suffering after the collision, it is essential to immediately ask to be taken to the closest emergency room.
Another important reason to seek medical attention immediately following the accident is the fact that insurance.
Companies will attempt to minimize your injuries because you failed to seek treatment. They will argue, albeit wrongly, that your pain is not related to the accident at all but may be from a pre-existing condition or perhaps from something that happened after the accident. Their logic is that people who are injured will seek medical care right away. Therefore, since you did not seek medical care right away, you were not really injured. As you can see, it does sound logical, but reality and human nature do not support this argument. If you believe there is any chance you have suffered an injury, you will better support any future claims by immediately seeking medical care to document your complaints and injuries.
Asking for an Interpreter
It is normal to be shaken up if you’ve been in an accident. Even if you speak conversational English, you may not be familiar with the terminology used by the police, paramedics and doctors, and the insurance company. If you do not understand, ask for an interpreter. Do not sign any paperwork or agree to a settlement in your case unless you fully understand the terms and conditions.
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