How Soon Should You See a Doctor After an Accident?

Posted on: Dec 20, 2021 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

How Soon Should You See a Doctor After an Accident?

You may be the safest driver on the road, but it doesn’t mean that you can avoid accidents completely. Accidents happen even when no one is at fault. So, what should be your first reaction after meeting with an accident? Check if your vehicle is safe and worry about the damages? No. It should be to ensure that you and your fellow passengers are safe. Sometimes, assessing injuries right after the impact can be difficult. So, even if you think nothing major has happened, you should consult a doctor to confirm. Also make sure that you have a health insurance plan handy. Now, read on to know why seeking medical attention right after an accident is a must.

Why you should see a doctor as soon as possible

Usually, people rush to seek medical attention after an accident if the injuries are major. But in case of minor injuries, or injuries that are less visible, such as a concussion or internal injury, you might hesitate to seek medical help. However, remember that minor injuries should not be ignored. Why? Well, in concussion (traumatic brain injury), the brain receives some kind of trauma when it jerks forward and hits the inside of the skull. This will not be visible, and symptoms like dizziness, amnesia, or nausea will take some time to show up. It’s important that you seek medical attention soon after an accident as the doctor will be able to assess such less visible injuries. Delaying it could be life-threatening. There is another reason why you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Often, due to the shock of the accident, your body experiences an adrenaline rush, which suppresses the pain for some time. Once the adrenaline rush subsides, you start feeling the pain or discomfort.

When to see a doctor after a vehicular accident

As soon as possible. Some injuries may not be immediately apparent except for fractures or severe injuries. In such cases, you might or might not seek medical attention, assuming all is well. But if there’s some internal injury or concussion, you will not immediately feel anything and start experiencing the symptoms after a few days. Which is why, you should not wait for the symptoms to appear and then see a doctor. It’s best to consult a doctor within 72 hours of the accident because a thorough medical examination will help detect any injury quickly. Another reason why seeing a doctor is crucial is for claiming compensation for the treatment costs. Most insurance companies have a timeframe of 72 hours within which you should seek medical care to be eligible for any kind of compensation.

What to do after seeking medical treatment

After seeking the necessary treatment, it is important that you follow your doctor’s advice. If your doctor advises you to take rest and not to go to work for several days, follow his advice. Refrain from doing any heavy work or go for physiotherapy, as per his instructions. Ignoring it will not only affect your health, but also prolong the recovery. You are also advised to keep track of any pain, discomfort or symptoms during this recovery period. If required, consult your doctor immediately before the condition gets worse. Also, if you experience any mental or emotional trauma such as depression or anxiety, do not hesitate to seek professional help.

Conclusion

If you ever meet with an accident, see a doctor as soon as possible. This is important not just to detect any possible internal injury that you may have sustained, but also to claim compensation from yourhealth insurance plan. Most insurance providers recommend seeking medical care within 72 hours of the accident, otherwise your claim could get rejected. Do check with your insurer on this.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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