One of the problems our car accident lawyers in Atlanta run into with new clients is that they refused to go to the hospital after their crash. Some people refuse medical treatment because they don’t believe they are hurt. Others simply don’t want to spend the better part of their day in the emergency room.
Here, we’ll discuss why it’s important that you go to the hospital immediately after your Atlanta car accident.
You Must Take Certain Steps After a Car Crash in Atlanta
Ideally, all of our clients would take certain steps in the moments after their motor vehicle accident. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Some people don’t realize that the things they do after their car crash can have a tremendous impact on whether they’ll receive damages.
Our Atlanta accident attorneys suggest that, if you are involved in a car crash, you do the following three things.
Call 911
You must call 911 immediately after your accident. No matter how minor the crash is, don’t give in to pressure from the other driver who insists that there is no need to call the cops.
Some of our clients tell us that they didn’t call 911 because the accident wasn’t serious. They decided to keep things simple and just trade insurance information with the other driver.
What they don’t realize is that there’s no way to tell if the other driver is giving you accurate information. For all you know, you could get home and find out they gave you false identification information and fake insurance information.
Plus, Georgia law requires you to report an accident that results in injury, death, or property damage worth more than $500.
Go to the Hospital for Treatment Immediately
Once the police arrive at the scene, they will arrange for an ambulance to take any injured drivers and passengers to the hospital. You need to go to the hospital even if your injuries seem minor.
In the minutes after your collision, you may think you’re fine. You don’t realize that you could have internal injuries that aren’t visible to the naked eye. The same is true for traumatic brain injuries.
Oftentimes, the injuries you cannot see are the most serious. If these internal injuries aren’t treated immediately, they could prove fatal. The best thing you can do is go to the emergency room right away.
Your Atlanta car accident lawyer will need medical records to prove your case.
Call an Atlanta Car Accident Attorney as Soon as Possible
It’s a good idea to contact an experienced Atlanta accident attorney sooner rather than later. The other driver’s insurance company will have a team of lawyers working for them. You don’t want to be at a disadvantage.
Once you’ve received the medical care you need, you should call and schedule your free, initial consultation.
If you’re like most of our clients, you won’t be in any position to fight with the insurance company after your crash. You’ll need to focus on recovering from your injuries. Let your Atlanta accident attorney handle the legal side of things while you focus on getting better.
The Defendant Will Argue That Something Else Caused Your Injuries
If you don’t go to the hospital immediately after your accident, it can hurt your case. The defendant will argue that you weren’t injured in the crash. If you were hurt, you would go to the hospital immediately.
The defendant will also argue that something other than the crash caused your injuries.
If you wait a day or two to see a doctor, you’re handing the defendant a chance to avoid liability. They’ll say that something happened in the days between the crash and your hospital visit to cause your injuries.
Your Atlanta Accident Attorney Needs Your Medical Records to Prove Your Damages
If the insurance carrier denies your accident claim, then your Atlanta accident attorney may have no choice but to file suit. This means they’ll need to prove that you suffered some type of injury or loss.
If you don’t go to the hospital, it’ll be impossible for your accident lawyer in Atlanta to claim that you were hurt. Other than the damage to your vehicle, there won’t be anything for your attorney to demand in your claim.
You May Be Entitled to Damages for Medical Bills and Future Medical Care
In most of the car accident cases our Atlanta accident attorneys handle, they ask for certain types of damages. For example, if your injuries are serious, they will demand that you be compensated for medical bills and future medical bills.
If you don’t go to the hospital, it will be very difficult to prove that your injuries were caused by the accident. It will also be hard to demonstrate that you deserve compensation for future medical care.
It’s Hard to Prove Pain and Suffering if You Don’t Go to the Hospital
Another type of damages that your accident lawyer in Atlanta will demand on your behalf is pain and suffering. These damages are meant to compensate you for any mental or physical anguish you suffer as a result of the crash.
Without medical records, your Atlanta accident attorney will have a very difficult time proving that you’re entitled to pain and suffering. Since these damages often make up a lion’s share of your settlement, this can be a major problem.
Call Our Experienced Atlanta Car Accident Lawyers Now!
If you were involved in a motor vehicle accident, there’s a good chance you suffered some sort of injury. Just because you can’t see the injury doesn’t mean it isn’t there. This is why our accident lawyers in Atlanta recommend that you go to the hospital immediately after your crash.
Not only do you need to be seen by a doctor, but your Atlanta accident attorney will need proof that you were hurt. You must remember – you can only sue for damages that you actually suffered. Without medical records showing that you were, in fact, injured, you may not have a claim for damages.
We offer all new clients a free, initial consultation. This means you can sit down with a seasoned accident lawyer in Atlanta and have them review your case. They will give you their honest opinion as to whether you have a viable case.
