Has the insurance company offered you money before you even see a doctor after a car accident?
If you have never seen the doctor after a car wreck, it may not be in your best interest to settle your medical claim with the insurance company. When you are hurt or feeling pain, it is possible you may have serious underlying injuries that may require medical attention. Furthermore, when you settle your medical claim, you will never get your future medical cost associated with your auto accident covered by the at fault insurance company.
Delayed injuries
It is possible you may feel fine after your car wreck, your injuries may not appear or present themselves right away. Delayed onset of injury is very possible in an auto accident injury. You may feel fine right after the accident, but days or weeks later you may feel pain and discomfort.
My experience
I have personally seen insurance companies write checks out to injured parties. They do this in the hopes they will deposit the funds or cash the check. I’ve also seen insurance companies send people money and tell them its for their lost work or aggravation. If you read the fine print on the check though, it may be a different story, you may have just settled your medical claim.
The adjuster was nice and seemed genuinely concerned
Adjusters may seem to be nice and on your side. It is possible they are being nice to collect information from you about how you are feeling and the extent of your injuries. The may offer you a settlement before they even look at your car for injuries that you may or may not have. In some cases people do take what the adjuster is offering only later to find out that the there injuries have gotten worse requiring medical treatment.
Adjusters have been known to issue a check for lost wages or time, beware of this practice, they may disguise this as a payment for lost wages, but in reality it is a settlement check for your injury and pain and suffering. If an adjuster has sent you a check and you don’t fully understand what the check is for, contact a personal injury attorney. A personal injury attorney will be able to clarify what the check is for and what course of action you should take.
Some common injuries that may not manifest themselves right away after a car accident
- Back Pain
- Concussion
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Fuzzy Thinking
- Headaches
- Inability to Concentrate
- insomnia
- Nausea
- Neck Pain
- Sleeping a lot
- Whiplash
The insurance company
Insurance adjusters are saving the insurance company money for their stockholders. Insurance companies are not in the business of paying out thousands of dollars in medical claims without a fight. No matter what you think of them, they are doing their job. However , they are not paid to look after your best interest. Adjusters may try to give you a check without you knowing what the check is really for. They also may offer you a quick settlement for your pain and suffering. And, the medical bills before you even step foot in a doctor’s office or the ER.
If your are fine today, you may be hurting tomorrow. We have seen this happen many times. Someone will think they are fine after an accident and not seek medical care, only to call us several days later and state that they are in pain and hurting and need to see a doctor. Insurance Companies, even your own, are not going to look after you, they will look after the bottom line. Before accepting any checks from the insurance company, see the doctor and speak with a personal injury lawyer.
Don’t settle your medical claim without seeing a doctor first
Seeing a doctor first after you have been involved in a car wreck. This may be the single most important thing you could do. If you are hurt, you can get medical care right away to limit your time of recovery. However, the longer you wait to see a doctor the longer your recovery could take. Underlying injuries and whiplash may not manifest themselves right away. Furthermore, it could be days or in some cases weeks before you may feel the effects of these injuries. Make sure you see a doctor or at least speak with one before you accept any settlement from the adjuster for your injuries.
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