Seeking medical care is a top priority after a car accident. In addition to ensuring that you are safe after a physically traumatic event, medical care offers you tangible evidence of the car crash. This is essential if you plan on pursuing a personal injury claim or negotiating a settlement with the insurance company. Our South Carolina car accident lawyers have created a list of questions to ask your doctor after an accident. These questions will help you begin building your case.
How Long Will It Take to Recover?
Recovery is often a long and tumultuous process. Your doctor should be able to provide you with an estimate of how long it will take for you to make a full recovery. This information will help you prove that the accident negatively affected your life over a period of time.
Will I Be Able to Work During Recovery? If So, What Limitations Do I Have?
For many people, the biggest concern about recovery time is whether or not they can work. Lost income adds additional stress to an already-difficult time when you are expecting large medical bills. It is important to ask your doctor whether or not your injury will prevent you from working and if there are any limitations regarding your work. You may have to work shorter hours or take on less physically demanding tasks. Before you leave your appointment, ensure that you have the paperwork you need to request time off or receive accommodations from your employer.
What Are My Injuries? How Severe Are They?
When negotiating with the insurance company, you will need to provide them with a thorough account of your injuries, including where they are located and their severity. Your doctor should be willing to provide thorough documentation of your injuries that can be used as evidence in court. Hard evidence regarding your injuries is an essential tool for our South Carolina car accident lawyers as they negotiate a fair settlement with the other party’s insurance company.
What Caused My Injuries?
This is one of the most important questions to ask a doctor after a car accident. You already know that your injuries were caused by a car accident. However, insurance companies typically need this to be verified by a medical professional before they are willing to negotiate.
Your doctor can identify how specific injuries occurred. For example, they can document that you are suffering from a concussion due to hitting your head on the steering wheel. This expert opinion can help you obtain compensation from the other party’s insurance provider.
Will I Need Further Care Down the Line?
Even if the majority of your injuries heal fairly quickly, there may be lingering symptoms that require long-term treatment. Most severe injuries often require long-term care. As an example, victims who sustain traumatic brain injuries during car accidents may need periodic MRIs, around-the-clock nursing care or mood stabilizers for the rest of their lives.
Reach Out to Our South Carolina Car Accident Lawyers
The path to recovery may seem long, but working with experienced personal injury attorneys can limit your stress and allow you to focus on healing. Get your free case evaluation now—call the Law Offices of F. Craig Wilkerson Jr. in Rock Hill at (803) 324-7200 to get started.