The Importance of Going to the Emergency Room After a Car Crash
Car accidents come in a variety of shapes and sizes, which means that not all of those who are involved in collisions will suffer serious, or even minor injuries. However, this is always a possibility, especially for those whose crashes involved multiple vehicles or occurred at high speeds. In these cases, going to the Emergency Room after the collision is a key step to not only ensuring one’s health and safety, but also to proving liability at a later date. Regardless of whether you visited the hospital after an accident, it is important for those who were injured in car crashes to speak with an experienced Fort Lauderdale auto accident attorney who can ensure that they receive compensation for their losses.
Should I Visit the ER After an Accident?
Emergency Rooms play a critical role in providing medical treatment to car accident victims, as the physicians and nurses are specially trained to treat the types of trauma that occur in collisions, so it is important for accident victims, no matter how minor the crash, to visit the ER after an accident. Emergency Room staff also play a key role in:
- Determining the extent of a person’s injuries after an accident;
- Providing emergency, life saving care, such as surgery after a severe collision;
- Submitting medical bills to the injured party’s insurer; and
- Starting a record of the patient’s injuries.
Emergency Room staff do not usually provide ongoing care for a patient except in severe cases or when an injury is life threatening. For this reason, even those who suffer injuries in car accidents may be discharged from the Emergency Room with directions to seek a follow-up appointment with their primary care provider or a specialist. This does not necessarily mean that a person’s injuries are not serious. Rather, it is only an indication that an injury is not immediately life threatening, so those who are discharged from the Emergency Room are still strongly encouraged to make an appointment with the proper medical provider as soon as possible after discharge. Waiting weeks, or even days, before making a follow-up appointment can have devastating consequences for an injured party’s lawsuit, as delays can make it difficult to definitively link an injury to a particular accident.
Follow-Up Appointments
Once a person has been discharged from the ER, he or she should immediately make a follow-up appointment with a doctor or specialist, at which point, the injured party should paint the medical professional as detailed and complete of a portrait of the accident and his or her injuries as possible. For instance, it is important for injured parties to give their physician a good idea of every part of their body that hurts. While it is natural to focus on the part of the body that hurts the worst, minor discomforts and pains should not be ignored, as what initially may seem like a minor injury, could end up turning into a chronic problem at a later date.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation Today
If you or a loved one were involved in a car accident, please contact the dedicated car accident attorneys at Boone & Davis by calling 954-566-9919 today to learn more about your legal options.
Resource:
cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db185.htm
https://www.booneanddavislaw.com/the-dangers-of-road-rage/
