Car accidents occur regularly in Arizona. While many car crash injuries are immediately noticeable, such as lacerations and broken bones, others can have hidden or delayed symptoms. Learn how to handle your car accident claim if you notice pain after you already told an insurance company you were uninjured.
Not All Injuries Show Immediate Symptoms
Delayed pain is common after car accidents. Some injuries do not have immediately noticeable symptoms. A slow bleed in your brain after a blow to the head, for example, may not become noticeable until it causes enough damage to interrupt your brain’s normal functioning. In other cases, the adrenaline from the car accident may be masking injury pain. Certain injuries have delayed pain the most often.
- Brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Whiplash
- Back injuries
- Herniated or slipped disk
- Soft-tissue damage
- Internal organ damage
- Internal bleeding
Some of the most serious car accident injuries can have delayed symptoms. This is why lawyers recommend immediate medical care after auto accidents, even when survivors do not feel injured. A doctor can diagnose an injury you may not have noticed yet, and provide treatment while the injury is still in its early stages. If a doctor diagnoses you with an injury that had delayed symptoms, begin the insurance claims process right away.
Document Your Injury
The main issue you will have to contend with if you have delayed pain is proving to an insurance company that the collision was the cause of your injury. This can be difficult if you already told a responding police officer or the other driver’s insurance company that you were not injured in the wreck. This is why it is better to see a doctor before you answer questions about potential injuries, even if you do not notice immediate symptoms. While at the scene, tell the responding officer you are not sure whether you are injured. Then, seek professional medical attention immediately in Phoenix.
If a doctor diagnoses you with an injury hours or days after your car accident, document your medical care in as much detail as possible. Obtain a letter from your doctor explaining what he or she believes caused your injury. Keep copies of all medical records and treatment plans, as well as hospital bills. It is important to document your car accident injury in depth to prove your losses to the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier.
Call an Insurance Company
Call the other driver’s insurance company as soon as you notice pain from the accident. Most insurance companies demand accident reporting as soon as possible. You may be an exception, however, if you did not notice pain or an injury until later. Tell the insurance company about your diagnosis and explain that you had delayed symptoms. Do not give the insurance company more information or details than the claims adjuster requests. The law does not obligate you to give a recorded statement to an insurance company, either.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer
A Phoenix car accident lawyer can help you with the claims process after a vehicle collision that causes any type of personal injury and symptoms. It is especially important, however, to protect your rights by hiring an attorney if you experienced delayed pain. It can be more difficult to get an insurance company to treat your claim fairly if you initially reported that you were not injured.
You may need a lawyer to negotiate with the insurance company for you. The right lawyer can help you document and prove your personal injuries, as well as fight for maximum financial compensation from the other driver’s insurance provider on your behalf. Do not settle your injury case until you have received advice from an attorney in Arizona.
