There are a lot of people who avoid going to the doctor whenever possible. But if you have been involved in an auto accident and are now experiencing pain or other symptoms, getting prompt medical attention is crucial. It is important not only to your health and well-being but to the preservation of your rights to seek personal injury compensation. Medical records are crucial to establishing the existence and severity of your injury. Moreover, waiting too long to get medical treatment can raise serious questions about whether your injuries were actually a result of the accident.
Here’s how you should proceed:
- When seeking medical treatment after an accident, it is best to start out with a doctor with whom you have a preexisting relationship, such as your primary care physician. Changing doctors immediately after an accident may lead to accusations that you are shopping for a doctor who will inflate your injuries to increase your compensation.
- If your injuries are outside the competency of your family doctor or require more specialized treatment, you can ask for a referral. Keep track of any doctors you see and give their names to your Maryland auto accident attorney.
- Once you have begun treatment, it is important to closely follow the instructions your doctors give you and to take note of the medicine and other treatments they prescribe.
If you have not yet seen an attorney, you may want to request copies of your medical records as well, which you have a right to do under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). If you have retained an attorney, however, he or she will do so for you.
