Too Important To Ignore: Your Medical Treatment After An Accident
It can be difficult to imagine, but some accident victims don't seek medical treatment after an accident. Some of them refuse treatment because they are unaware of how important it can be. To find out more, read below.
Why is Medical Treatment Important?
Some accident victims are hurt but are in shock and fail to realize the extent of their injuries. This, unfortunately, often leads their injuries to worsen. Other victims wrongly believe that they cannot afford to go to the hospital and be treated. They may not realize that the other driver's insurer will pay for their care. Unfortunately, the way a victim views medical treatment after an accident affects not only their health in general but also their monetary compensation chances.
A Direct Link
Your medical treatment is directly linked to compensation in at least three major ways. These issues revolve around damage mitigation and a particular type of very valuable accident damage.
- Accident Mitigation – When you mitigate something, you lessen its impact. The other driver's insurer is always looking for ways to lessen their liability for the accident. That means if the victim fails to seek medical treatment, there is every chance that they are not going to be paid what they deserve. A physical injury is necessary for a case to exist. If you don't have any proof of your injury, you cannot be paid for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. That leaves you with your vehicle repair only.
- Not only should victims seek medical treatment soon after an accident, but they also should be prepared to follow their medical practitioner's advice and recommendations. Keep your appointments, take prescribed medications, participate in physical therapy, and do everything you can to get better on the advice of your doctor.
- Pain and Suffering – The other way your case is affected by a refusal to seek medical care is the issue of pain and suffering. Without proof of medical treatment, you cannot be paid for pain and suffering. Lest you want to overlook this form of damage, keep in mind that pain and suffering awards can be as much as 1.5-5 times your medical expenses. If your medical expenses were $175,000, your pain and suffering could provide you with an additional $875,000 if your injuries were severe.
It's well worth the time and effort to attend to your accident injuries by seeking treatment. To find out more about the importance of medical treatment to your accident case, speak to a personal injury law firm like Jarvis, McArthur & Williams.
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