The Right (and Wrong) Reasons to Get Medical Treatment After An Accident

If you’re hurt in an accident, the most obvious course of action is to get medical treatment. But getting treatment after an accident has implications that go beyond just your physical health. People get pressure from their attorney to get treatment, even though their attorney may not disclose that often medical treatment from an accident isn’t covered by health insurance, and your legal settlement may depend on the treatment you get.

In this article, Mighty helps you think about medical treatment in the context of a personal injury accident. Here’s the 5 things you need to know:

1. The most obvious of them all, but worth saying over and over again: Get treatment when you need it and never get treatment if you don’t. Follow your own body and what your trusted doctor tells you. If you do nothing but follow this one piece of advice, you’ll have a much better chance of feeling better after your accident. 

2. Don’t let your personal injury lawyer tell you whether you’re hurt or how you should feel. Personal injury lawyers make more money the more treatment you obtain. It’s in their financial interests to make sure you get more medical treatment, unfortunately, sometimes even if you don’t need it. 

3. Right after an accident, it’s natural to be overwhelmed and not realize the extent of your injuries. Sometimes injuries aren’t felt for a few days after an accident. Even still, it’s really important you have a record of your injuries, when you started feeling them come on, and who you saw to help you with them. These records are critical when it comes to helping prove that you actually had injuries from an accident. 

4. If you do go to a doctor, make sure you tell them you were in an accident. They may document more information in your file, have special instructions to follow with your insurance, if you have it, or otherwise can help you figure out whether you should see a specialist. 

5. Don’t get medical treatment you don’t need. Some PI law firms send all off their clients to get an MRI, even when not medically necessary. Ultimately, you’ll likely have to pay these bills out of your settlement, so only get the treatment your doctor says you need. If your lawyer tells you getting a treatment will be “good for your case” you should not only defer to your doctor instead, but also probably run towards the door. 

Being able to move forward with your life after an accident is as much about getting the medical care you need after an accident as it is getting money for your pain and suffering and other out-of-pocket expenses. If you ask most people who have been injured, they want to get better. We hope this article has helped you know what to prioritize (and not) with regard to your medical care.

Mighty is using its data-driven, nerdy know-how to help people after an accident. Mighty Law lawyers charge lower rates and commit to a Code of Conduct that forbids behaviors typical among billboard injury attorneys, such as quid pro quos for referring people to their doctor friends. Plus, you can work with a Mighty Law lawyer at no cost for up to 60 days if no lawsuit or demand letter is filed.