Questions to Ask Your Doctor After an Accident Law

Whenever you are involved in an accident, you should seek medical treatment

After an accident, even if you feel okay, it may be days or hours before you experience any symptoms from an injury. After an accident, when someone asks, “Are you okay?” The best answer is, “I don’t really know. Only a doctor can assess my health.” That’s the truth of the situation. You may be in shock or have a post-traumatic-stress reaction. Immediately following an accident, you really can’t objectively assess your situation.

So, whether you slipped on a wet floor or were involved in a car accident, you should always seek medical treatment after an accident. With some severe injuries like whiplash, it can take days or weeks for you to become aware of symptoms. A doctor can tell you what symptoms to expect, how long they may last, and whether you can expect to recover completely.

Ask questions! You should know how your injury will affect your life

There are several questions you should ask your doctor(s) about your injuries. Since it’s easy to forget and/or get distracted immediately after an accident, write down your questions and your doctor’s answers. Here are some questions to ask your doctor if you are injured in an accident:

• What are my injuries? What was the probable cause of my injuries? Your doctor should explain exactly what was injured and how that injury might have occurred.
• How long can I expect the symptoms to last? How will they affect my life? It’s important to know the short-term or long-term impacts of your injuries. It’s very possible that your injuries could cause other health problems in the future.
• What is the course of treatment for my injuries? You’ll want to know if you need physical or other rehabilitative therapies, medications, or other treatments and how long you can expect to undergo those treatments.
• Will I need to take time off from work? Find out if you need to take off time from work. If so, your doctor should give you a written note that says you are medically unable to work. (If you are absent from work due to a disability, your employer will probably want a note that says it is okay for you to return to work.)
• How and when can I get copies of medical documentation? Different healthcare providers differ in how they handle requests for documentation. Find out what you need to do to get the documentation you will need.

Your doctors’ answers to these questions are important if you decide to file a personal injury claim. If you file a personal injury claim related to your accident, you will need thorough documentation of your injury and its associated costs (including loss of income) and impacts on you and your family.

Get a free consultation with a Bronx personal injury attorney

Contact personal injury lawyer Bronx Evan W. Kohn for a free consultation about your accident. He can help you get appropriate compensation for your physical, emotional and financial injuries. With more than 30 years of experience helping people in the Bronx get the justice they deserve; Evan W. Kohn treats clients with compassion and aggressively pursues their interests. Contact The Law Offices of Evan W. Kohn online or call 718-409-5500 to arrange your free consultation.