You may feel physically fine after your car accident. You may not even think that you hit your head upon impact. But even so, concussions are one of the most common injuries people walk away with after a car accident. That said, it might not hurt if you simply allow a law enforcement officer to dispatch an ambulance on your behalf, so that you may go to the emergency room for detailed testing. Please continue reading to learn why you should test for a concussion and how an experienced Tampa car accident lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A. can help you heal correctly.
Why should I test for a concussion after a car accident?
Of note, concussions are commonly known to have delayed signs and symptoms. That is, you may not feel the effects of it until days, weeks, or even months after your car accident. But the longer it is left untreated, the more likely you are to experience complications.
For example, you may be left with long-term cognitive and mental health problems like memory loss, difficulty concentrating, personality changes, and depression. What’s worse, if your concussion is left entirely unnoticed, and you incur another one before it is fully healed, you may experience second-impact syndrome. Importantly, this may prompt rapid and severe brain swelling, which may threaten a brain herniation or even death.
With all that being said, an emergency room visit immediately following your accident is in your best interest. Sometimes, emergency room medical staff fail to order CT or MRI scans that would give them a clearer picture and do not detect a concussion with the physical examination alone. So, you should monitor if any signs and symptoms arise in the days afterward, such as a persistent headache, nausea, dizziness upon standing, trouble sleeping, etc.
What happens to my claim if I don’t seek immediate testing?
Early medical intervention is not only critical for your physical health and well-being, but it is essential if you intend to pursue a personal injury claim against the other driver or the negligent third party in your car accident. This is because if you do not, the defendant can easily argue that you incurred a concussion from an unrelated, undocumented event after the car accident took place. Therefore, they are not responsible for paying your medical bills and other incurred damages.
Also, a possibility that they can make a case for is the fact that your concussion would not have been so severe if you had gotten it treated right away. In turn, your medical bills would not have been as expensive, you would not have to spend as much time away from work, your quality of life would not have plateaued or lessened, etc.
We understand that you must be eager to start this process. So, without further delay, please schedule your initial consultation with a skilled Tampa car accident lawyer from Merricks Law Group, P.A. today.