Although it might seem like a simple phrase, it is important to define what personal injury means. Under the legal definition of personal injury, a personal injury occurs when a person’s body, mind, or emotions are injured as a result of the negligence, carelessness, or wrongful conduct of another person. Personal injury law is also called tort law. The word tort comes from Latin and means harm or wrong, and tort law encompasses a wide variety of types of personal injury claims.
Personal injuries after a motor vehicle accident
Road traffic accidents are the most common cause of personal injury. Other causes of personal injury include work accidents, tripping accidents, and product defects accidents.
If you have sustained a personal injury in a car accident, you might be entitled to monetary compensation through a settlement or a judgment, depending on the negligence or the intent of the responsible party.
Irrespective of whether you were driving the car, suffered whiplash as a passenger, or are a pedestrian injured in a collision, you could be compensated for your injuries, anxiety, medical expenses, lost income, lost potential future income, and other related expenses that are directly related to the car accident.
Why Do You Need To See a Doctor After an Auto Accident?
The most important thing you need to do after an auto accident is visiting a Personal Injury doctor within 24-48 hours. The doctor will provide you with objective advice regarding your injuries.
A personal injury doctor is an independent medical expert with extensive expertise in preparing reports for Personal Injury Lawsuit and who can objectively describe the injuries sustained, how they were caused, and give their opinion upon the extent of those injuries and how long you are likely to suffer from them. This is essential because, without the proper documentation from a personal injury doctor, you may not even have a personal injury case and could, therefore, lose your entitled compensation.
Is an ER Visit Enough for Personal Injury?
No. While emergency medical care is necessary to address immediate life-threatening injuries, it does not address ongoing issues, such as soft tissue injuries.
At Optimum Health Rehab we specialize in the treatment of Accident Injury Victims. We know what types of symptoms and injuries to look for, how to treat those conditions, and how to keep accurate records that can be used in case the victim needs to file a Personal Injury Lawsuit.
Trauma Following an Auto Accident
An auto accident is a big deal – for your body and mind. We know very well that when people go through a road traffic accident, they go through a major trauma both physically and emotionally.
As an evolutionary system, humans are wired to feel fine immediately following a car accident. Your body will generate adrenaline and endorphins, which means you feel increased energy and (possibly) a lack of pain. However, just because you feel fine following a car accident doesn’t necessarily mean that you are fine. Once the release of those chemicals subsides, the pain from any car accident injuries could start to set in.
What if I Don’t Feel Injured After an Auto Accident?
Many common auto accident injuries can take time before the victim will feel any symptoms. The sooner you get examined by a medical professional, the better. Even if you feel fine, you must visit a personal injury doctor within 24-48 hours after the accident.
A personal injury doctor is not only able to diagnose any condition, but they will also prepare all the documents for your attorney.
The 5 Most Common Injuries in Car Accidents
- Soft tissue injuries are the most common type of injury caused by car accidents. They are defined as connective tissue damage to the muscles, ligaments, or tendons caused by a car accident. For example, whiplash is the stretching of head and neck muscles and ligaments in reaction to the sudden movement of a collision. Car accidents can also often cause low and mid-back injuries like muscle sprains or damage to the spine.
- Head injuries during car accidents range from minor to serious. Often, head injuries such as concussions do not show bruises or initial symptoms. Symptoms that can develop later on include persistent headache, dizziness, feeling or being sick, memory loss – you may not remember what happened before or after the injury, clumsiness or trouble with balance, unusual behavior – you may become irritated easily or have sudden mood swings, feeling stunned, dazed or confused, changes in your vision – such as blurred vision, double vision or “seeing stars”. Family members often describe irritability, memory problems, or change in personality that did not exist before the accident. Head injury is often called the “silent” injury, and family and friends should look for these problems after the accident. Special testing by an experienced personal injury doctor should be performed to diagnose head injury after an accident.
- Scrapes and cuts – flying objects can cause injuries as minor as small scrapes and as serious as lacerations that require stitches.
- Chest injuries are most often contusions or bruises, although serious injuries are also possible. Severe chest injuries include broken ribs and injury to internal organs.
- Arm and leg injuries are also very common.
How Much Will It Cost Out of Pocket To See a Doctor After a Car Accident?
When you have been the victim of an auto accident, your medical expenses will not be your responsibility. Our accident doctors work on what is called a medical lien. A medical lien means that the cost of your treatment is not paid until your case is settled.
Bottom Line About Personal Injury
Injuries resulting from car accidents are often not immediately obvious. Symptom onset may be delayed as long as a month. If you are in a car accident, no matter whether it is major or minor, it is vital to seek medical attention immediately regardless of how well you may feel. And you must do it as soon as possible.
At Optimum Health Rehab we provide the treatment you need, with the compassion you deserve in such a delicate moment. Our medical team administers a wide variety of treatment protocols that go beyond symptom relief. Our goal is to bring you total and lasting healing.
We will help you create a stronger case so that you can get the maximum compensation for your injury claim. Contact us today.
Personal Injury