So, you are minding your own business, paused at a stoplight in St. Petersburg, mentally ticking off the seemingly endless tasks on your daily to-do list when suddenly, without warning, you feel a significant force barrel into the back of your car, a force so strong you are pushed forward into the steering wheel. You get so shocked seeking immediate medical help doesn’t even cross your mind yet.
After the shock, you gradually become aware again of your surroundings. Shaky, you are able to sit up, even get out of your car. Your head hurts and so does your back, but all in all you feel okay — considering your car was just rear-ended by a fast-moving vehicle.
You exchange insurance information with the driver of the vehicle and sit back down in the driver’s seat. You think about calling a doctor, even calling an ambulance, but hesitate, thinking if you could just get home, maybe take it easy for a few days, you’ll probably be fine.
Stop right there!
One of the worst things you can do in this situation is to not seek medical care. First and foremost, your health and well-being could be at risk. Although feeling okay after such a jarring event probably feels like a relief, some injuries are not so obvious. Internal injuries can be as devastating – sometimes even potentially more harmful – than injuries you can directly observe. What’s worse, some injuries do not present themselves instantaneously, either. Some problems that aren’t initially apparent can develop over time with serious, long-term consequences. It’s worth it – in fact, it’s crucial to your health and well-being to seek medical help in Saint Petersburg immediately.
When seeking medical care in St. Petersburg, give your health care provider the details of the injury – time, surrounding circumstances, how you feel. No detail is too small and will help your provider accurately diagnose and treat any injuries you may have. Additionally, request a complete examination – and an MRI if you’ve had head injuries. If you have any previous conditions or health issues, ask the health care provider to review these concerns as well. An important final step is to request copies of all examination records and medical bills.
People who are injured suffer on so many levels. Being injured is traumatic enough without adding other worries. That’s why seeking immediate medical care in Saint Petersburg and maintaining thorough records of this treatment is so important. At some point, you may also want to seek out a personal injury attorney to ask about compensation. However, if you failed to seek medical care immediately after the injury – or didn’t keep records of treatment – you may run into some impediments in pursuing compensation that you may deserve.
First, the law requires plaintiffs prove they have taken necessary steps to address any pain and suffering they may experience. If you were to seek personal injury compensation but can’t show that you took reasonable steps to address the pain and suffering that occurred – such as seeking immediate medical help — then courts will have a difficult time connecting your pain and suffering with the event that caused the injury.
So, if you don’t seek immediate medical help, not only do you put your health and future physical and mental well-being at risk, you also risk preventing yourself from receiving any financial compensation you may deserve. Speak to a personal injury attorney about your situation.