What to Do After Car Accident? -

What to Do After Car Accident?

Even if you drive very carefully, accidents are unexpected and can happen. If you ever encounter such an unfortunate situation, you will probably be shocked and in pain.

You might be thinking about what you are supposed to do immediately after the accident. Well, stay calm! The post-accident process is relatively simple,

yet it can be challenging considering the fearsome circumstances. Millions of car accidents occur every year around the world. Most of these accidents involve property damage.

Still, every one in three accidents involves personal injury. Here we have listed the health conditions you will probably suffer from and what things to do at preference. Let’s get started!

Back Pain

Back pain immediately after the accident or even after a few weeks can be a prominent indication of spinal injury, whiplash, soft tissue injury,

or herniated disc. If you experience any unresponsiveness along with back pain, you are more likely to have pinched nerves.

These conditions can eventually result in critical mobility challenges and pain. Make sure to seek medical treatment as soon as possible to prevent the condition from getting worse.

Shoulder and Neck Pain

Shoulder and neck pain is probably because of spinal injury and herniated discs. Also, pain symptoms are frequently occurring due to whiplash.

The condition mostly appears after a few days after the accident. In case you notice these symptoms, visit the nearby car accident doctor for further evaluation and treatment.

Numbness

Tingling or numbness on any part of the body if left untreated can potentially result in adverse consequences or complications.

It’s important to get these symptoms evaluated by a medical professional. On the other hand, if the symptoms don’t appear on the list you need to have a thorough medical evaluation.

Deep bruises, fainting, and other relevant symptoms are evident indications of the injury requiring treatment.

Headache or Light-Headedness

A whiplash, blood clot, or neck injury can sooner or later result in sudden headaches or dizziness. These symptoms don’t necessarily occur immediately, rather they may take a few days or weeks.

Certain wounds can be quite critical and therefore seeking medical attention is important even if it’s just a minor headache. Being a survivor of a car accident, you must be familiar with the consequences of traumatic brain injury this is why it is important to visit a Whiplash Injury Clinic in Phoenix, AZ.

At times, the soft tissue of the brain can considerably affect the interior skull resulting in excessive bleeding, serious bruising, or swelling.

This kind of traumatic brain injury can be fatal even though if you are not experiencing any symptoms immediately. Headache can be one of the important symptoms leading to brain injury.

Car Accident and Emotional Impact

You might feel neck and back pain after a car accident, though there is more to that. Many physical symptoms of a car accident appear lately as we have discussed above,

though at times, the emotional impact can be quite challenging to figure out and deal with. One common condition is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which may appear right after the accident

or a few weeks later. Since the symptoms of trauma are not evident to identify, many accident survivors frequently ignore them. Sometimes

you may feel very much stressed or upset and assume it is a part of life instead of focusing on it from the accident viewpoint. We strongly encourage you to seek medical help in case you feel the below-mentioned symptoms of emotional distress:

Difficulty in sleeping
Loss of memory
Focus or concentration issues
Changes in personality and frequent mood swings
Exhaustion and fatigue
Change in food intake routine
Quick reactions
Lack of interest
Disturbing sleeping patterns
Flashbacks and panic attacks
An intense feeling of anger or sorrow

If you have experienced an unfortunate car accident, you have the possibility of suffering from anxiety or depression and other psychological health challenges.

Make sure to notice the changes in your life routine pattern and take mental health concerns as seriously as a physical ailment.

Poor mental health and strength can eventually lead to declining quality of life, challenges in keeping up a focus, and increased negativity.

If you are observing any symptoms of emotional distress, you should probably contact a doctor or counselor for help. Therapy and prescribed medication can help you manage the condition in the best possible way.

Things to Do!

Make a Precise Record

As soon as the police arrive at the accident scene, you should accurately inform each and everything that happened to the best of your understanding.

If you are unaware of certain facts, you should probably tell that too. Try to avoid any guesses or incorrectly stating any facts. If they ask you whether you are injured or not, you should never say “no”,

instead say that you are not sure. Pain and injuries often appear after a few hours of the actual collision and therefore we advise you to wait and have a

thorough medical checkup before making a statement. Also, make sure that other people who are involved in the accident are putting up the correct information.

Take Pictures

If you have a smartphone or your vehicle is equipped with a camera, don’t forget to take pictures of your car especially if you see any obvious damage.

On the other hand, if you have suffered from apparent physical injuries, you should photograph them too. Though make sure not to interrupt the police investigation.

Besides, if you are unable to take photographs immediately after the accident, take them soon as you feel better.

Exchange Information

Generally, the investigation officer will obtain this information. In case the police do not respond timely, you should at least get the basic information of all persons involved that commonly include name, address, and contact

information. Moreover, you should get information regarding insurance. If you find any witnesses of the accident, you should get information from them as well that will significantly help

you when contacting an attorney in the future. On the contrary, if police respond to the accident you will receive a police report number

from the investigating official. You can always use this number to get the police report. If the accident happened on a state highway, you can directly request a report from the state police.

Report the Accident

One of the smart approaches you must follow after the accident is notifying the insurance company. Many policies and protocols require an

immediate report and complete cooperation. It’s important to figure out what benefits are covered in the insurance coverage. You can pay extra for the specific type of coverage commonly known as med-pay.

If you have med-pay coverage, you need to hand over the accident-related medical fee to the insurance company. Med-pay coverage is commonly designed

for accident-related medical bills. As soon as the benefits are exhausted, private health insurance will become the primary insurer.

Though make sure that the insurance rates don’t increase as a result of deferring to claims for med-pay coverage. Your car insurance rates can even get much higher primarily depending on the intensity of the accident and the insurance company.

Some insurance agencies may offer accident forgiveness i.e. you’re at-fault accident may not lead to higher premiums. However,

other companies may increase the rate of a similar accident. According to the Consumer Federation of America report, some agencies raise rates at approximately

10% or even higher for accidents that were not even your fault. Even time can play a crucial role and can noticeably affect the overall rate. Well, this varies by company and state.

Conclusion

We will conclude the article by focusing on the significance of seeking medical attention. From acquiring important information to keeping the evidence

and following up on the insurance procedure, you should focus on your health – the foremost and most important one. Make sure to go for a detailed medical checkup after the accident. At times, you may feel pain a day, a week, or even a month after the accident.

You should probably get help from any medical professional in your local emergency room or visit a nearby physician. Even if you have experienced an accident with a

minor impact, you should still get yourself checked to diagnose any critical and permanent injury, particularly to the spinal cord. If you feel dizzy or unconscious

for some time, it can be even due to head injury resulting in cognitive and behavioral damages if left untreated. Get yourself treated as soon as possible. Stay Healthy!