What Should I do after the accident? Personal injury / Car Accident Attorney advice

YOUR INJURY AND YOUR LAW SUIT; GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS
You have the goal of getting well as soon as possible. Your California / Placerville car accident lawyer will advise you that when you are maintaining a claim for injuries you have the goal of maximizing your financial recovery. If you have a rapid and full recovery you significantly decrease the value of your legal case. Your California / Placerville car accident lawyer will advise you that, conversely, the value of your legal case increases significantly as your recovery time, medical expenses, loss of earnings and other damages increase. As far as your health goes, a rapid recovery is good news. But it is bad news for your insurance claim. On the other hand, as complications from your injury increase, the value of you insurance claim increases.

Our health is more important than any amount of money. A rapid medical recovery is better than a substantial financial recovery from the insurance company. However, you should be mindful of the "good news, bad news" relationship between recovery from injuries and recovery on your insurance claim.

SHOULD I SEE A DOCTOR AFTER THE ACCIDENT?
If you feel the slightest pain, be sure to say so at the scene of the accident. Otherwise, the witnesses and the Police will say that you said nothing of injury, or denied injury altogether. The insurance company will later contend this is evidence you were not badly injured.

If you are injured obtain medical treatment as soon as possible. If transported to the hospital by ambulance, tell the ambulance attendants all your symptoms. When you arrive at the hospital emergency room, repeat all your symptoms to them. Be sure to mention any symptom you have, even if you hurt just a little, a slight pain can turn into a major problem later and the earlier you have mentioned the problem to a doctor, the better. The defendant's insurance company will obtain these records and find any omission to mention a symptom so that they can use it against you. This is good legal and medical advice. If not hospitalized immediately following the car accident and you have any symptoms of injury, go to your doctor or an urgent care facility as soon as possible. Your Southern / Northern California car accident attorney will advise you to make sure to relate all of your symptoms to the doctor. A frequent problem in injury cases is that the injured person waits several weeks before treatment. The insurance company will use this against you, contending that you "imagined" your injuries in order to fabricate a lawsuit.

If the doctor recommends follow up care or physical therapy, attend all of your scheduled appointments and tell your doctor or therapist all your symptoms. Again, do not fail to mention any pain. If you have missed work, be sure to tell your doctor so it will be noted in your medical record. If unable to attend work, ask your doctor for a work release or disability note for your employer, keeping a copy for your personal injury attorney. Additionally, if you miss work, tell your employer you were injured in an accident.
You may not have a treating doctor; if so your personal injury attorney should refer you to a medical doctor or a chiropractor for treatment. If you do not have medical insurance, the doctor may be willing to treat you on a lien basis following the auto accident. Additionally, you may have medical payments insurance available under your automobile insurance coverage.