You should always take an ambulance after a car accident if you feel there is any chance you could be seriously hurt. The sooner you receive medical attention to address a severe injury, the better your chances of a speedy recovery.
Even if you worry about the cost of emergency transportation, such concerns should be secondary to protecting your health.
If you do not feel hurt, or you think you have only minor injuries, you can forgo the ambulance ride, but it is still very important to see a doctor as soon as possible, ideally the same day as the crash.
If nothing else, a medical exam gives you peace of mind, allowing you to move on from the accident without worrying if you are neglecting a potentially serious injury.
Always See a Doctor Immediately After a Car Accident
Even if you do not feel injured, you should always see a doctor for a full medical exam as soon as possible after a car crash.
Despite feeling healthy and uninjured, you could have internal injuries that have yet to present themselves with symptoms. It is the severe injuries — those to the head and spine, for instance — that do not manifest in physical symptoms right away. Ignoring a head injury, even for a day or two, can have lifelong consequences. Ruling out potentially life-threatening conditions is worth the hour or two hours it takes to visit your doctor or an urgent care center.
If it turns out that you have an injury, whether minor or severe, it is better for your doctor to diagnose it immediately after the crash rather than days or weeks later. First and most importantly, you can receive treatment right away, which, in the case of a serious injury, could prevent major health issues down the road. Second, you make it much easier for your car accident attorney to link your injury to the crash, which helps establish your claim against the at-fault driver and their insurer.
Let us say that another driver rear-ended your car. You feel fine afterward, so after the police take their report, you head home to rest, forgoing a visit to the doctor. A few days later you feel a gradually worsening soreness in your cervical spine. A medical exam confirms it is whiplash. But since you waited several days to see your doctor, the other driver and their insurer might call into question whether the accident caused your neck injury. Had you gone to the doctor right after the crash, there would be much less room for doubt.
What Else Should I Do After a Car Accident?
No matter the circumstances of the crash, how injured you are, or what kind of property damage occurred, you should always call an attorney to represent you.
A car accident lawyer can protect your rights, reduce your liability, and help you get a fair settlement from the other driver and their insurance company.
Our initial consultations and claim reviews are always free. Call 631-600-0000 to set up an appointment.
