Lies About Car Accidents
Getting into a car accident can be stressful; but if you or a passenger has been injured, you may be even more overwhelmed. Regardless of how severe or simple your injuries may be, you need to understand what your next steps are in getting better. This includes distinguishing facts from fiction when it comes to handling yourself after an accident.
Here are five lies about car accident injuries that you shouldn’t believe:
Lie #1: You don’t need to see a doctor if you don’t think your injury is serious.
Anytime you walk away from an accident, your might to feel lucky. But even if you don’t have any broken bones or wounds that require an immediate trip to the emergency room, seeing a doctor may still be in your best interest a bad idea.
If you have any injuries or prolonged pain from the accident, make an appointment with your primary care doctor or take a walk in appointment. You may be suffering from an injury or damage that isn’t immediately apparent to you, but still requires medical attention.
Lie #2: An EMT doesn’t need to check out simple bumps and bruises.
This lie seems to go hand in hand with Lie #1. If able to walk away from an accident with only a few bumps or bruises, people tend to believe they don’t need to check in with the EMTs once they arrive on site. While you may be feeling fine, adrenaline from the accident can mask your pain of a more serious injury. Other injuries may take a few days to show symptoms.Talk with an EMT about how your feeling so there is a record of the damage.
Lie #3: An accident can only injure you physically.
When we think about pain from an accident, we think about cuts, bruises, broken bones, or concussions. Rarely do we believe that getting into an accident can harm us psychologically.
It is actually pretty common to suffer from things like anxiety and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder after an accident. If these thoughts are not addressed, they can cause anguish for years. Psychological trauma after an accident is very real and should not be ignored.
Lie #4: Whiplash doesn’t exist.
One of the most common injuries associated with a car accident is whiplash; but for some reason, many people refuse to acknowledge that it is an actual condition.
If you’re experiencing severe pain in your neck or back, you may be suffering from whiplash. Even if you don’t have physical signs of injury, like cuts or bruises, whiplash can still exist. The pain can be debilitating, and if you’re suffering from the condition, seek medical help as soon as you can.
Lie #5: Lawyers made up the term “pain and suffering.”
For anyone who has never experienced pain and suffering, it can seem like a completely made up term. But for anyone who has been through the aftermath of an accident, they know that it can be very, very real.
Pain and suffering refers to an inability to live your life to the fullest because of the injuries of the accident. You may be required to miss work, social engagements, and/or class because you are dealing with pain and psychological damage.
If you’ve recently been injured in a car accident, do not allow the lies you hear to influence your recovery. Contact an experienced DC car accident lawyer today for more information on how you can get the compensation you deserve. Thanks to our friends from Cohen & Cohen, P.C. for their added insight into common myths surrounding car accident injuries.
