Where Should I Go After an Atlanta Car Accident?

When a person is involved in an Atlanta car accident, they are likely to be reeling in shock. That is quite natural, but it is important for victims to follow a few simple steps to make sure that they do not make things worse for themselves.

Immediately after an Atlanta car accident occurs, the victim should:

• Do their best not to get overwhelmed or filled with anxiety. While a crash is certainly not a good thing to happen, it has happened and is now out of your control. Try to remain as calm as possible and concentrate on what you can control, particularly the next few things you do in the aftermath of the crash.
• If the accident is not particularly serious, and you feel that you have the ability to do so safely, try to move the car out of the way of traffic and get to a safe section on the side of the road. This can help you reduce danger and confusion while remaining at the scene of the accident. However, if the accident was moderate-to-serious, no one should move the car.
• One should self-assess as best as possible. Consider whether or not you are hurt or in any obvious pain. Straight after a car crash, small or minor injuries can take time to become obvious and may well be masked by the adrenaline that the victim is likely to experience after the wreckage. Take a moment to try to determine if you have been hurt and where this pain is centered as this can help streamline your medical care a little later.
• Remember to breathe and remain as calm as possible. Material items like a car can be replaced, and if you are alive and breathing, that is the most important matter.
• Make a few phone calls. Call for law enforcement if they have not already arrived on the scene, and also call the insurance company. You may also want to call a relative or friend to tell them about the car crash.

Should an Atlanta Car Accident Victim See a Doctor After a Crash If They Are Not in Pain?

A lot of the time, if a person is not visibly hurt after a car crash, they may choose not to go to the doctor after the accident. However, that could be a big mistake. In fact, there are a number of reasons why you should definitely visit a doctor.

First of all, it is possible you are in shock or filled with so much adrenaline that you have missed an injury after the accident. This is a common occurrence, as people may not realize the extent to which the human body can mask pain when a person is in the middle of a trauma or emergency. This is referred to as a survival reflex that the body implements to allow the victim to get out of a dangerous situation even if the person has sustained serious injuries.

Secondly, the fact is that a lot of injuries experienced in the aftermath of a car crash are not always noticeable right away. Bruising, joint injuries, muscle injuries, and internal trauma tend to take a while to show up on the body.

Furthermore, it is important that any injuries sustained in the crash are traceable to the actual accident for the sake of insurance claims. If an accident victim waits too long after the wreckage to seek medical treatment, doubt may well creep into the process from the point of view of the insurance provider as to whether the victim’s injury was a direct result of the incident. In order to avoid these elements, it is important for an accident victim to seek medical treatment as soon as possible after the crash, and preferably on the same day.

Should an Injured Person Go to an Urgent Care Center or the Emergency Room After an Accident?

One of the main reasons why accident victims choose not to seek a medical evaluation after a crash is fear of the costs involved with treatment. However, this is not an acceptable reason to not consult a doctor when your body has been through something as life-altering and traumatic as a car crash.

Fortunately, the increase of urgent care centers has helped this problem. When an ambulance takes a patient to an emergency room, the patient stands to wake up the following day with exorbitant medical bills depending on the situation. When a patient goes to an urgent care center, they receive the same care as they would at an emergency room, without having to wait and without high costs.

Overall, urgent care centers are a good way for one to manage their health after an Atlanta car accident. The centers allow patients to be attended to quickly, offer access to the same level of facilities, and a patient can be treated effectively without having to worry about a list of expenses. Even if the person has a comprehensive insurance plan, they may end up having to pay out of pocket at a traditional emergency room, whereas at an urgent care center, they can choose a range of payment options.

Either way, people involved in a car crash must seek medical attention as soon as they can.

Talk to a Dedicated Attorney About Your Atlanta Car Accident

John B. Jackson has over a decade of experience dealing with insurance companies and car accident victims in Atlanta, Georgia. He understands how traumatic a crash can be and how stressful it can be trying to seek fair financial compensation for a victim’s medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Victims of a car crash can talk to our attorney to find out more about their legal rights and options after a crash. Book a consultation today.