If you were involved in a truck accident, seeing a doctor as soon as possible—ideally within one or two days of the accident—is almost always in your best interest, even if you have no apparent injuries.

Going to the doctor for a medical examination after a truck accident not only helps you protect your health, but also allows you to get as yet unnoticed injuries on the record, and strengthen any future insurance claim or lawsuit.

Protect Your Health

Not seeking medical care after a truck accident can put your health in serious jeopardy. During an accident, adrenaline surges through the body, limiting its ability to fully feel pain. As a result, you may not feel the full extent of your crash-related injuries until the adrenaline subsides hours, or even days, later.

Common truck accident injuries include:

• Concussions
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Neck injuries
• Back and spinal cord injuries
• Internal bleeding
• Organ damage

If left untreated, many of the above conditions can become disabling or even life-threatening. Fortunately, doctors have extensive experience treating accident victims and may be able to diagnose your crash-related injuries—even if you haven’t felt them yet.

Document Your Injuries

Seeking immediate medical care after your accident also ensures that your crash-related injuries are thoroughly documented in your medical records. This prevents the truck driver, the trucking company or another at-fault party from claiming your injuries were caused by something else and unrelated to the accident.

Strengthen a Future Insurance Claim or Lawsuit

Even if you don’t think you were seriously injured in the accident, it’s important to preserve your ability to effectively pursue a legal remedy in the event that the symptoms of severe injuries present a few days later.

If you forgo medical treatment after the accident, but are diagnosed with significant injuries after the adrenaline wears off, the commercial driver, the trucking company and insurance company adjusters will doubt the severity of your injuries. Even worse, they’ll use your failure to seek prompt medical treatment as a reason to dispute, reduce or deny your claim.

Potential Damages in Truck Accident Cases

If you were injured in a truck accident that was caused by the negligence of a fellow motorist, commercial truck driver, trucking company, or parts manufacturer, you have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit and seek compensation for damages from the at-fault party.

Common damages sought in truck accident cases include:

• Medical bills, including doctor’s appointments, hospital stays, and medical-related travel expenses
• Property damage, such as repair or replacement costs for the damages your vehicle sustained in the accident
• Wages you missed while out of work recovering from your crash-related injuries
• Loss of earning potential if your injuries are determined to be permanently debilitating or disabling
• Physical pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Loss of enjoyment of life if your injuries prevent you from taking part in activities you once loved
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Permanent disability
• Scarring or disfigurement
• Punitive damages, in the event that the at-fault party’s conduct was particularly egregious

Do You Need a Truck Accident Attorney?

If you were involved in an accident with a large commercial truck, seeing a doctor and consulting with an attorney as soon as possible can help you protect your right to pursue a legal remedy for injuries and other losses sustained in the crash.

Randy Sevenish of Sevenish Law has extensive experience helping victims injured in truck accidents and can provide the aggressive, yet honorable, representation you need. Contact Sevenish Law’s Indianapolis law office today to arrange a free, no-obligation initial case consultation. Don’t wait: the law limits how long you have to sue after an accident.