Why Victims Should Seek Immediate Medical Care After a Car Crash in Chicago

After a car crash in Chicago, many victims refuse care at the scene if they don’t see any visible sign of a wound. They may even decide against getting checked out at an urgent care center or a nearby emergency room, but this is a bad idea.

Below, we discuss the importance of seeking medical care after a car accident, including how it protects your health by ruling out potentially life-threatening internal injuries. It also protects your legal interests and your ability to recover compensation for damages caused by the negligent driver responsible for the crash.

At Cooney & Conway, our knowledgeable Chicago-based car accident lawyers help injured victims every day. When we represent you, we don’t mess about. Our goal is to protect your rights and best interests throughout the legal process. We work tirelessly to get you the maximum possible compensation, so you can focus on healing and getting back to your life.

Injured in a car crash? Call for a FREE, no-risk case review today: (800) 322-5573

Why Do Some Chicago Crash Victims Wait to Seek Medical Care After a Car Accident?

People hate the inconvenience and disruption of dealing with a car accident, and the idea of waiting in the ER for hours puts a lot of people off. That said, delaying medical treatment after being involved in a serious collision can have serious consequences.

Here are some of the most common reasons car accident victims put off or skip going to the ER:

• Not seeing any visible sign of an injury – or only small scrapes/bruising.
• Feeling little to no physical pain immediately after the car accident.
• Believing the lack of physical signs means their injuries are minor and will heal on their own.
• Stressing that going to the ER – especially if taking an ambulance to get there – would cost too much.
• Avoiding the disruption to work and personal activities, and dealing with multiple doctor visits.

While these concerns are normal and even understandable, postponing medical treatment could have a serious impact on your health if you do have internal injuries. In some cases, waiting to go to the ER allows life-threatening injuries to worsen.

Why Can’t I Just Go to My Primary Care Doctor to Get Checked Out After My Chicago Crash?

Your primary care doctor may provide good medical care overall, but PCPs are not typically equipped or trained to handle emergency care after a car crash. Getting a same-day appointment, even if they had diagnostic equipment and specialist doctors on hand, is very unlikely. Additionally, your PCP many not want to see you after a car crash for insurance reasons.

Is an Urgent Care Center a Good Alternative to Going to the ER After a Car Crash?

An urgent care center may be a decent alternative for a minor fender bender. But car crashes may not happen during an urgent care center’s normal hours of operation. Some urgent care centers have diagnostic equipment, but not all of them. Even when they have the equipment, radiologists may only be on site on certain days/times. You may go to the urgent care center only to be told you need to go the ER anyway.

Why Emergency Rooms Are Often a More Optimal Choice for Crash Victims

No one loves going to the ER, but the benefits outweigh the inconvenience. Chicago has five Level 1 trauma centers, including the top-rated Rush University Medical Center, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. University of Chicago Medical Center (UChicagoMedicine) is another Level 1 trauma center that is prepared to treat seriously injured crash victims 24/7, and John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County is currently one of the busiest Level 1 Trauma Centers in the country.

What Is the Importance of Being a Level 1 Trauma Center?

Level 1 trauma centers are equipped to manage the most seriously injured patients – include crash victims – around the clock. In addition to having surgeons – including specialist surgeons available in house 24/7, they also have access to advanced diagnostic technology. This means your injuries can be diagnosed and treated much more quickly than at a rural hospital or urgent care center. Level 1 trauma centers are also better able to handle a larger volume of patients and are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Critical Injuries Chicago Emergency Rooms Look for After Crashes

After a car accident, Chicago ER medical staff focus on identifying serious internal injuries that may not be immediately visible. These injuries require prompt medical attention to prevent the injuries from worsening, unexpected complications, or permanent damage. In short, ERs often provide crash victims with an optimal for recovery.

Some of the most severe injuries that victims may initially not know they have due to being in shock include:

Head Injuries

There are multiple types of internal head injuries that can quickly become life-threatening without treatment. Some of the most critical types of head injuries from a car crash include:

• Brainstem Injury: Your body’s brainstem controls many essential functions that we take for granted. Your heart rate, ability to swallow, breathing, blood pressure, and more, is all controlled by the brainstem. Damage to the brainstem can have serious consequences, including respiratory failure, difficulty moving, loss of sensation, or a coma.
• Brain Bleeds: The impact of a car crash, even if you don’t hit your head on anything, the violent back-and-forth motion causes your brain to hit against the skull. This motion can create enough force to cause blood vessels in your brain to rupture.
• Brain Swelling/Pressure: Your skull is designed to protect your brain, but because it is so rigid, any swelling caused by a car crash injury can create intense intracranial pressure. The swelling can impede vital brain functionality, cutting off blood flow and making you lose consciousness. It can also affect your heart rate and ability to breathe.

The real risk of a brain injury is that many people feel fine and mistakenly think they are not hurt. By the time symptoms are noticeable, it can sometimes be too late. Time is of the essence with any type of head trauma. The sooner you are diagnosed and begin treatment, the better chance you have of a full recovery.

Spinal Injuries

Injuries to the spine or neck can happen during the impact of a collision. The sudden and unexpected force can cause your body to twist or bend in awkward, unnatural ways. This can result in common, but painful injuries like whiplash. But it can also result in serious and sometimes permanent damage to the spinal cord.

The most severe spinal cord injuries may leave crash victims partially or fully paralyzed and facing a life-time of medical care, secondary complications, and long-term disability. Emergency rooms will perform tests to check for signs of damage.

Internal Bleeding

Internal injuries are very common car crash injuries. During the impact, victims may suffer damage to their internal organs, such as a ruptured spleen, which can cause internal bleeding. A punctured lung, left untreated, is extremely dangerous and can make it difficult for victims to breathe. ER doctors rule out internal injuries using advanced diagnostic imaging equipment.

Broken Bones

Car crash victims are vulnerable to fractures, especially in the knees, legs, arms or ribs. These bones need to be set, sometimes surgically, to avoid dangerous complications such as infection or improper healing.

How Delaying Medical Care Hurts Your Insurance Claim

Delaying medical care after a car accident puts your health at risk, but it can hurt your ability to seek compensation for your medical costs and other damages.

Waiting to seek medical care gives insurance companies room to argue that your injuries were not that bad or that they were caused by something else. Having time gaps in your medical records, whether it is the initial delay of seeking treatment or inconsistency in following up with doctors to continue your care, make it much harder to secure the full compensation you deserve.

• Inconsistent Medical Records: Delayed treatment creates gaps in your medical history, makes it difficult to link your injuries directly to the crash.
• Lower Credibility: Insurance adjusters may question the severity of your injuries if you did not seek prompt medical attention.
• Increased Recovery Time: Postponing treatment can lead to more severe injuries, which may increase medical expenses and extend the recovery period.
• Insurance Denials: Insurance companies may attempt to deny coverage or offer a lower settlement if they believe you did not act quickly or properly mitigate your injuries.

What Insurance Covers My Medical Costs and Other Damages From My Car Crash?

Illinois is an at-fault state, which means insurance company of the driver who caused your crash will bear primary responsibility for all of your crash-related damages, including:

• Medical costs (including ambulance transportation costs, surgery, physical therapy, etc.)
• Loss of income/lost wages
• Damage to personal property
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional anxiety
• Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Scarring and Disfigurement
• And more

What Steps Should You Take to Protect Your Medical Claim?

There are steps you should take after a Chicago car accident to protect your health and your medical claim and ensure you receive the compensation you are entitled to. Following these key actions can strengthen your case and help you avoid potential challenges with insurance providers:

• Seek immediate medical care – even if you think you feel fine
• Notify the insurance company of the car crash
• Seek legal help to ensure your rights and bests interests are protected from day 1
• Follow your medical team’s treatment recommendations, including follow-up care
• Do not skip or miss medical appointments for ongoing treatment
• Use a pain journal to document the progress of your injuries
• Track your medical expenses and other car crash-related costs

Contact Our Skilled Chicago Car Accident Lawyers for Help With Your Claim

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, you do not want to leave your health or your claim to chance.

Seeking medical attention right away ensures you get the treatment you need to help prevent your injuries from worsening or causing additional complications.

Why seek legal help sooner than later? Waiting to seek legal help gives room for the insurance company to pressure you into accepting a lowball settlement. This could leave you with thousands of dollars in unpaid damages.

At Cooney & Conway, our car accident attorneys help injured victims every day, and we have a proven history of securing favorable outcomes for our clients. We charge no upfront costs or out-of-pocket fees, so there is no financial risk to you.

Call for a free consultation today. Tell us more about your situation and let our experienced attorneys provide the support and guidance you need during this challenging time.

Call Cooney & Conway today. (800) 322-5573.