Even if you feel unharmed, seeking medical care after a car accident is essential. The shock and adrenaline from the incident can mask and delay symptoms of serious injuries like concussions or internal bleeding. Prompt medical assistance helps you get the diagnosis and treatment you need helping to prevent severe or life-threatening complications.
Learn why getting a proper medical examination prioritizes your health as well as any potential legal claim you may file if you need to recover compensation for your damages.
If you were injured in a car crash, we encourage you to contact our law offices as soon as your injuries have been stabilized. In Tennessee, the party who caused your crash is liable for your damages. Our skilled car accident lawyers at Massey & Associates are prepared to help you seek the compensation you need for your medical costs, lost wages and other damages.
Request a FREE case consultation: (423) 396-0720
Why Medical Attention Is Crucial After an Accident
Adrenaline can mask pain, even for serious injuries, such as a concussion or internal bleeding. This means you might not notice symptoms of severe or potentially life-threatening injuries right away. Unfortunately, waiting to seek medical help could put your health at risk and even impact your ability to recover.
Seeking prompt medical attention helps:
- Diagnose Internal Injuries: X-rays, MRIs or other diagnostic tests can help doctors discover serious injuries faster. This helps prevent injuries from worsening, getting you the treatment you need sooner.
- Create Documentation: Medical records help link your injuries to the car crash that caused them.
- Link Your Injuries: Your medical records include clear documentation of the date you visited, diagnostic testing, diagnosed injuries and much more. This information helps link your injuries to the crash that caused them.
Deadlines and Legal Aspects That Impact Your Claim
In Tennessee, the statute of limitations limits how long you have to file a lawsuit. For personal injuries resulting from a car accident, the state has a strict filing deadline of one year from the date of the accident. If you fail to file within this time frame, you will likely be barred by the court from recovering any compensation.
Even if this deadline did not exist, pursuing legal action is beneficial to you and helpful to your claim. Evidence can get lost, overwritten or even destroyed if not obtained right away. Witnesses do not have a vested interest in the outcome of your claim, so they may quickly forget critical details about what they saw. Your own recollection about what happened will also begin to fade pretty quickly.
What Steps Should Injured Victims Take First After a Car Crash?
When seeking medical help after a car accident, there are several steps you will need to take to get your claim moving forward. These steps help to protect your rights and collect proper documentation for potential claims:
- Consult an Attorney: Contacting a personal injury attorney before you even call the insurance company helps to protect your claim. Insurance companies will likely try to get you to record a statement or accept a quick settlement offer. These and other requests the insurance company may make will benefit them, however, not you. We understand the tactics insurance companies use to protect their bottom line, and we know how to protect yours, ensuring you are fairly compensated for your damages.
- Report to Insurance Companies: After calling an attorney, you should notify the insurance companies involved. Failure to report promptly could cause delays in your claim or lead to other complications.
- Follow Treatment Plans: Adhering to prescribed treatments shows you are taking your recovery seriously, which can strengthen your claim for compensation.
- Limit Statements to Insurance Adjusters: Be cautious when talking to insurance adjusters. Be honest, but stick to the facts. Do not apologize or admit fault. Do not downplay or exaggerate your injuries. These things give the insurance company the leverage needed to lower your compensation.
- Timely Reporting: Be aware that you should not wait until the last minute to file. Your attorney needs time to gather evidence and build a solid claim on your behalf. Calling an attorney too late, could impact your ability to seek compensation.
- Negligence: Tennessee uses modified comparative fault, meaning injured victims who partially caused the crash may still have a claim. However, their assigned percentage of fault will be deducted from any compensation they are awarded.
Contact Massey & Associates Today
Injured in a Tennessee car accident? If so, we encourage you to contact our law offices in Chattanooga as soon as possible. We have built a reputation as a trusted law firm, and we fight to get you the results you need.
At Massey & Associates, our results-driven lawyers are prepared to work with you to build a strong case, negotiate with insurance companies and fight for the compensation you need.
No upfront costs. Millions recovered. (423) 396-0720
Gary Massey, Jr., is a well-known courtroom advocate practicing law in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Gary is a native of Tennessee who began practicing law in 1998. He graduated from Cumberland School of Law where he was ranked in the top 3% of his class and was an editor of the Cumberland Law Review.
