After a car accident, a lot of people are worried about their car - but shouldn't they be more worried about their health? Yes! And this doesn't mean worried about medical bills. Not getting timely and thorough medical treatment after an accident is the #1 mistake accident victims make for their personal injury cases.
For many people, the ache of being jerked around during a car accident does not set in until the day after the accident. This is normal, but you should still see a doctor ASAP. If you want more than a couple days, the insurance company will deem this a "delay in treatment" and can use this against you.
Often, a delay in treatment is used to argue that 1) injuries may not have been incurred during accident, and 2) if they were incurred during accident, they must not have been that bad if you could go without treatment. This is not necessarily true, obviously, but delays in treatment do affect your personal injury case.
If you hire a personal injury lawyer, that lawyer will want to show the insurance adjuster evidence that you were injured by the car accident, and the exact extent of those injuries. The easiest way to do this is with medical records and statements from the treating medical providers. Unless you get medical treatment, you won't have these records to support your injury claim. Unfortunately, the jury in a court trial will not take your word that it "hurt" without a professional's notes saying the same.
As far as the insurance company is concerned, if you wait longer than 72 hours after an accident to seek treatment, this is a "delay in treatment." If you can't get an appointment with your regular doctor, you can visit Urgent Care, the ER, or see a chiropractor.
If you have auto insurance, Oregon law requires you to have $15,000 in Personal Injury Protection. This coverage will help you pay all your medical bills initially.
