Have you been involved in a car accident that has caused you bodily injury? Has an insurance adjuster contacted you in an attempt to get you to settle quickly before the full medical picture of your injuries has been revealed?
Regardless of the type of injury you have suffered, it is important to keep in mind the following:
- Certain injuries such as concussions, muscle strains and soft tissue damage may not be initially apparent when you are first evaluated for your injury on the day of the incident; and
- Insurance companies will often attempt to force you into a settlement early on as they know that this may be when you, as an injured individual my been the most prone to attempting to take a fraction of what you are truly entitled to;
A GUIDE TO HANDLING YOUR VERMONT OR MASSACHUSETTS PERSONAL INJURY CASE
Do Not Minimize Your Injury At The Accident Scene
In many car accident cases, the last thing you want to take a ride via ambulance to the hospital to be examined. Often times, motorists, who through no fault of their own, are involved in a motor vehicle accident, will attempt to minimize their pain when first responder arrive at the scene in an attempt to avoid a trip to the ER.
This can be a drastic mistake, which can cause further physical harm. It is essential yo accurately reflect all pain you are experiencing so that the trained professionals can determine how to best treat it.
If you minimize pain and go home, only to feel significantly more pain later when the adrenaline of the car accident has worn off, you may be setting yourself up for not only more complicated treatment, but also a way for insurance adjusters to argue that the pain you are now experiencing was causes by something other than the car accident itself.
Accept All Referrals For Treatment From Your Doctors
If your doctor recommends physical therapy, do it! If they recommend that you have a near-cognitive evaluation due to an alleged brain injury, take it! These doctors have an ethical duty to only recommend care that they feel will assist you. If you refuse their advice and later are dealing with complications, it will be more difficult to justify treatment that you did not initially feel was necessary but sometime down the road, you elected to undergo.
Keep a Symptom Journal
Keeping a journal of the pain and discomfort you experience from the time of the incident until you reach the end of your medical care is a great way to prepare your testimony should litigation be commenced. This journal will also allow you to better advocate for more intensive care should the need arise. These journal entries do not need to be long, they just need to be accurate and consistent.
Have You Been Diagnosed with A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?
Often referred to as the invisible injury, TBIs can be one of the most difficult conditions to diagnose and treat due to the complex nature of the brain. Often times, CAT scans or enhanced brain imaging will be unable to detect the injury. Although a picture cannot articulate the damage done, this does not make the TBI any less severe.
If you are diagnosed with a TBI, it is important to understand that the TBI may not only effect your cognitive functioning but also potentially your eye sight, speech as well as your spine.
The bottom line is; be sure to cast as wide a net on your treatment as is reasonably possible. A coordinated care plan will allow you to address all needs associated with the TBI, which will get you back to baseline as quickly as is medically possible.