Going through a car accident can be stressful. Sometimes the entire experience is so distracting that victims don’t even feel pain right away. If that sounds like your experience, but you then discovered an injury later, you may be wondering if that limits your legal options. You are still entitled to compensation even if an injury wasn’t obvious immediately, and our Washington, D.C. car accident lawyers can help you fight for it.
Do Many Accident Victims Not Feel Pain Right Away?
It’s not that uncommon for accident victims to not feel pain right away. A car accident is a stressful situation. Adrenaline could be running through your system, masking pain. You’re thinking about dealing with insurance companies and getting your car repaired instead of focusing on yourself. Then a few hours after you leave the scene or in the day following the crash, you realize that something’s wrong. You can still make a claim, even if you didn’t notice a problem at the accident scene.
Should I Go to a Doctor Even If I Don’t Feel Pain Right Away?
Even if you don’t feel pain right away, we recommend that you schedule a visit to the doctor and look out for any symptoms in the time leading up to your appointment. Any pain or stiffness should be noted and reported to your doctor.
If you are injured, your doctor can help you diagnose what’s wrong. Seeing a doctor right away can also help you if you decide to sue for damages. It gives you the chance to report your injuries early. If you wait weeks to go to the doctor, the other driver’s insurance company might try to use that against you, claiming that you got hurt elsewhere sometime after the crash.
What Else Can Help Me Make My Case?
Gathering evidence at the scene of the accident can be helpful. Take photos of the damage to the vehicles and anything nearby that may have contributed to the crash. Call the police so that they can make an accident report. Some people think it’s overkill to call the cops if no one is injured, but just because you don’t feel pain right away it doesn’t mean that you’re not hurt. So we recommend calling them to the scene.
You should also take a look around and see if there were any witnesses. Get their contact info. You can also try to spot any nearby cameras. A surveillance camera from a business or residence may have caught useful footage.
Contact Our Law Firm
So whether you noticed an injury immediately or you didn’t feel pain right away, we want to help you. Contact Trombly & Singer, PLLC to schedule a consultation with our team and learn more about how we can help you build a compelling case for compensation.