While some car accidents are minor, many others cause serious and life-altering injuries. In fact, an estimated 4.4 million Americans seek medical treatment following motor vehicle accidents every single year. Sadly, roughly 38,000 individuals die annually in traffic accidents on U.S. roadways.
For a variety of reasons, it may be tempting to skip a visit to the emergency room or to your primary care physician’s office after a car accident. Still, avoiding medical care may cause substantially more harm than good.
Your body’s stress response
Car accidents are naturally stressful events that may cause your blood pressure and heart rate to surge. To help you manage the stressful situation, your brain signals the release of stress hormones. These hormones may increase your pain threshold and disguise injury symptoms.
Delayed injuries
While broken bones and whiplash may show up immediately during an accident, some injuries may take a few hours or even days to appear. If you are in a serious car accident and injure an internal organ, such as your liver or spleen, you may need immediate medical care without realizing it.
Medical documentation
Doctors know how to diagnose and treat traumatic injuries. They also have access to sensitive equipment that can find hidden injuries. When physicians perform tests, of course, they create medical documentation. If you have a serious injury, this medical documentation may help you pursue financial compensation from the driver who caused the crash.
Your overall health and wellbeing must be paramount in the aftermath of any motor vehicle accident. Even if you ultimately emerge from the crash with a clean bill of health, going to the doctor may put your mind at ease.
