If you've been in a car accident, and you have sustained injuries, it is important to seek medical attention. If you're hurt badly, you will be transported to a hospital, so your injuries will be documented at the hospital. When you have not sought medical attention within hours of the accident, you may have difficulty with an insurance claim. The following are a few things you should know about medical attention after a car ancient.

You should seek medical attention immediately after an injury car accident

The reason for this is twofold. When a doctor treats a person's injuries right after an accident, there can be less of an argument made by an insurance company that the injuries were not related to the accident. Secondly, even when you have an injury that doesn't manifest itself immediately, it may be one that a doctor was likely to miss because the proper test was not done. For example, if you didn't complain about back pain, the doctor would not likely examine your back. If at a later time, you begin to notice an issue with your back, a doctor may then provide a diagnosis. Because you saw a doctor within hours of the accident, an attorney will have an easier time arguing that the injury was directly related to the car accident.

A reasonable amount of time may be enough

Although an attorney would like you to see a doctor within hours of the accident, they can usually argue the next few days is a reasonable amount of time. This, again, is because an injury sustained in a car accident may not be felt until the next day or two. This is often the case with neck injuries, as well as back injuries. If you find yourself in this situation, you should see a doctor as soon as you can. In this short timeframe, an attorney can argue that the injury came from the accident.

A reasonable amount of time may be longer than a few days

This is true when your injury is not an apparent emergency, but you cannot see your primary care physician right away. It is not unusual for patients to wait up to three or four weeks to get an appointment with their doctor. In this situation, it is best to consult a personal injury attorney for advice on what to do about the delay in care. There may be options you are not aware of.

You should get medical attention as quickly as possible after an injury accident to prevent an insurance company from claiming the injury has nothing to do with the accident. This is not always possible because you are not aware of the injury for a few days. Car accident attorneys know this, so at the first sign of pain, see your doctor. If you cannot get an appointment quickly, then contact a personal injury attorney to get advice on what to do. 

Contact a local law firm, such as Craig P. Kenny & Associates, to learn more.