When you suffer an injury, seeking medical care promptly is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your health and your legal rights. However, many people delay medical care for various reasons—whether the injury doesn’t seem serious at first, they don’t have insurance, or they don’t think the injury will require professional attention.
Unfortunately, delaying medical care can have significant consequences for your injury claim. Insurance companies, lawyers, and courts rely on medical records to evaluate the severity and causality of your injuries. If there is a delay in seeking treatment, it can undermine your case and potentially reduce the amount of compensation you receive.
If you have been injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, it is important to 1.) seek medical care immediately and 2.) contact a Norfolk personal injury lawyer to find out what legal recourse you may have. Call Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp today to learn more.
Why Is Timely Medical Care Crucial for an Injury Claim?
Timely medical care is critical for your injury claim because it directly links your injuries to the incident. When you seek immediate medical attention, it creates a clear, documented record that shows you were injured due to the incident. This medical documentation can serve as powerful evidence that you were genuinely hurt and that the accident caused the injury. Additionally, the sooner you get treatment, the easier it is to establish the initial severity of your injuries, which helps quantify the amount of compensation you may be entitled to.
Insurance companies and attorneys use medical records to determine the extent of your injuries and whether the medical treatment you received aligns with the injury you’re claiming. If there is a gap in treatment, insurance adjusters may argue that the injury was not as serious as claimed or that it was not caused by the accident at all. Immediate medical attention helps ensure that your injuries are accurately documented and treated right away, which helps strengthen your case.
How Does Delayed Medical Care Affect the Credibility of My Claim?
One of the most significant ways delayed medical care can impact your injury claim is by damaging the credibility of your case. Insurance companies and defense attorneys may question why you did not seek treatment immediately after the accident. The longer you wait to see a doctor, the more likely it is that the defense will argue that your injuries were not serious enough to warrant immediate attention or that they may have been caused by something else entirely. This can lead to a reduction in your compensation or, in some cases, a complete denial of your claim.
Delayed care can also create a gap in your medical records, making it more difficult to establish a timeline of your injuries. If you wait several days or weeks to seek treatment, your doctors may have difficulty determining the exact cause and extent of your injuries. In some cases, waiting too long can also allow injuries to worsen, which could complicate the treatment process and affect the outcome of your case.
Can Delaying Medical Care Affect the Long-Term Outcomes of My Injuries?
Yes, delaying medical care can have long-term consequences for your physical health, impacting the success of your injury claim. Many injuries, especially soft tissue injuries such as sprains, strains, or whiplash, may not show immediate symptoms. However, if left untreated, they can worsen over time, leading to chronic pain or permanent disability. For example, untreated spinal injuries may result in long-term back pain or nerve damage that could be difficult to treat later on.
In addition to exacerbating your physical condition, delaying treatment can also lead to increased medical expenses. The longer you wait to get treated, the more likely your condition will require more intensive and expensive care. This can significantly increase the overall cost of your medical treatment, which will need to be considered when calculating your injury claim. If you delay treatment and your injuries become more severe or complicated, you could face a higher financial burden, and it may be more challenging to prove the extent of your damages.
How Does Delayed Medical Care Affect My Ability to Recover Compensation?
Delaying medical care not only affects the severity of your injuries but can also impact the amount of compensation you can recover. Compensation for an injury claim typically covers medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. However, if you delay medical treatment, it can lead to challenges in proving these damages.
For instance, if you wait too long to seek medical attention, the insurance company may argue that you are exaggerating the severity of your injuries or that your injuries were caused by something else, not the accident. They may also claim that your failure to seek timely care means that you are partially responsible for your condition worsening, which could lead to a reduced settlement offer or even a denial of your claim.
In some cases, the court or insurance company may assign a lower value to your claim if they believe that you contributed to the delay in treatment or that your injuries were not serious enough to require immediate care. By seeking prompt medical attention, you are protecting both your physical health and the financial aspects of your injury claim.
What Should I Do if I Have Delayed Medical Care?
If you have already delayed medical care after an injury, seeking treatment as soon as possible is important. Don’t wait any longer—getting medical care is essential for your health and injury claim. Document everything, including the reason for the delay in seeking care, and explain it to your doctors. Medical professionals may note any reason for the delay in their records, such as the injury appearing minor at first or the lack of immediate symptoms.
Consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney is also crucial if you’ve delayed treatment. An attorney can help you understand the potential impact of the delay on your case and work to gather evidence that strengthens your claim, even if there is a gap in treatment. They can also help negotiate with insurance companies and represent you in court to ensure your rights are protected and you receive fair compensation for your injuries.
Call Our Norfolk Personal Injury Law Firm Today
Delaying medical care can have serious consequences for your injury claim. It not only weakens the link between the accident and your injuries but also damages the credibility of your case, affects your long-term health, and may reduce your compensation. The sooner you seek medical treatment, the stronger your case will be. Always prioritize your health and seek immediate care after any injury to protect your legal rights and ensure the best possible outcome for your injury claim.
If you have been injured in an accident caused by another party, contact Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp to schedule a free consultation with a Norfolk personal injury attorney to determine the legal options you may have to recover damages for your losses. Our firm is dedicated to getting clients the financial compensation they deserve for their losses, like the $930,000 insurance settlement our firm obtained for one client who suffered multiple injuries when another driver failed to yield at an intersection and attempted to take a left turn.
For your convenience, we have offices in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
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An experienced personal injury attorney with dual licensure in Virginia and North Carolina, Eric Washburn received a B.B.A. in Finance from James Madison University—initially worked in the information technology field before obtaining his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan. Once an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Danville, Va., Eric has been recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine as a “Rising Star” Super Lawyer in Virginia since 2014.
