Have you ever played a rigorous game of football or tennis or soccer and felt fine throughout the whole game, only to feel excessive pain and stiffness the next day or even later? Oftentimes during competitive sports, your body is in an excited state and as such, it releases adrenaline and endorphins into your system that prevent you from feeling pain or even injury in some cases.
But once the excitement dies down, so does the release of these chemicals and the aches and pains come on with a vengeance. During a car accident, your body is often in a similarly excited state, releasing adrenaline and endorphins that can mask the pain of injury, so much so that you might feel you suffered no injury at all during the accident itself and might not even seek medical attention.
This presents a significant problem in that when injuries do manifest later, you may not be in a position to avail yourself of the redress a personal injury claim affords. Let's say you were in a car accident and felt no real pain or other indications that you suffered injury as a result. You don't seek medical attention for two or three weeks and in that space of time you develop back and neck issues you suspect resulted from the car accident. The at-fault driver's insurer may argue that you could not have been hurt that badly in the accident because you didn't seek medical attention for three weeks.
And say the insurer offered you a sum of money the first week after the accident to sign a release waiving any rights to sue for resulting medical damages. If you signed that release, once those symptoms had manifested, you would have no legal grounds for further compensation.
Soft tissue injuries (injuries to anything other than bone) occur often in car accidents even if they are "small" accidents and soft tissue injuries can manifest themselves well after the injuries occur. It's very important to remember that only a medical doctor is best qualified to determine whether or not you have been injured during an accident. Seeking medical attention directly following an accident is important to your health and wellness, and documenting medical evaluation shortly after an accident is elemental to filing successfully personal injury claim.
Neglecting to see a medical professional can hurt not only your health but your chances of receiving compensation when injuries surface.
Seeking the counsel of an experienced personal injury attorney in these cases is always advisable as an attorney can advise on the documentation of medical treatment and injuries.
An attorney will negotiate with the at-fault driver's insurer on your behalf and will be best able to prove fault should your claim go to court, understanding the theories of liability at play and what damages you are likely eligible to receive.
The attorneys at Panio Law Offices have a wealth of experience filing successful personal injury claims. Our clients can expect the highest level of legal of professionalism and understanding from our attorneys. We work hard to ensure they receive the highest award possible.
If you have been in a car accident and have questions about filing a personal injury claim, please call (708) 928-8680. We can help.