If you have been involved in a car accident, there is so much to be done following the accident that you may forget to do one of the most important things of all. You are advised to swap contact information with other drivers, document the scene with photographs, and speak with any witnesses that may have seen what happened. Getting immediate medical attention following any car accident, no matter how minor, should be at the top of your list. Not following through with any potential medical ramifications can be an expensive mistake.

But I feel fine, why do I need to see a doctor?

Being in a car accident is a serious shock to the human body that it was not necessarily designed to deal with. Even slow-speed accidents can result in a serious injury if, for example, your head hit any part of the car. Head injuries can be deadly, and they may not show symptoms immediately.

Car accidents commonly cause injuries to:

• Spinal column
• Back and neck muscles
• Internal organs

While these are the most frequently occurring, a car accident can cause an injury to any part of the body. Even just feeling slightly off following an accident can be an indicator of a more serious underlying medical problem. It is common for someone that has been injured in an accident to feel fine for a day or two after the accident before experiencing any symptoms. If you have been involved in an accident and feel fine, it may be worthwhile to schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible to err on the side of caution.

Why does it matter if you get immediate medical attention? Does it make a difference? Insurance companies that would normally be held liable for injuries resulting from accidents assume that if you did not get medical treatment immediately following the event, that you were not injured at all. In addition, one of the standards used to evaluate a car accident is whether or not medical treatment was provided. If you do not get treatment right away, insurance companies may view this as lying or exaggerating an existing injury in order to obtain compensation.

Be safe and keep yourself covered by visiting a medical professional as soon as possible.