Is my case affected if I didn’t go to the doctor after a car accident?
Motor Vehicles Accidents - July 10, 2025
Yes, if you didn’t seek medical care after a car crash, your personal injury claim may be weaker than that of someone who immediately visited a doctor after an auto accident. The longer after the incident you wait to get treatment for your car accident injuries, the more difficult it is for your Gurnee car accident lawyer to link your injuries to the accident.
Delaying a doctor visit doesn’t mean you can’t seek compensation for your losses; it simply means that there may be additional hurdles to securing a settlement, such as a lack of evidence and claims by the insurance company that you had a pre-existing condition.
Why should I get medical attention after a car wreck?
Bodily injuries are common after a car wreck, so it’s important to get medical care right away (ideally at the scene or soon after) for the best recovery.
Car accidents are notorious for producing “hidden injuries” (injuries that don’t immediately present symptoms). You may have suffered internal injuries or internal bleeding and not realize it until a day or several days later, when your abdomen is swollen or you start showing signs of sepsis.
Soft tissue injuries and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) may not present symptoms right away either; in fact, you may chalk these injuries up to being just shaken up or sore after the wreck, only to realize weeks after the accident that you haven’t gotten better, and in fact, have brain trauma, a torn ligament or tendon, or painful muscle sprains.
Your post-accident medical records are a vital part of your personal injury claim. They prove causation, showing that the wreck caused specific harm to you and how extensive your injuries are. The medical bills you incur help substantiate your demands for economic compensation.
Can I win my car accident case if I didn’t go to the doctor?
Yes, you could still win your car accident claim as long as you prove the elements of negligence required for successful personal injury cases:
- The car accident was due to the other driver’s negligence
- You suffered injuries in the negligence-caused wreck
- You experienced financial loss
The purpose of filing a personal injury claim is to replenish your monetary losses after an accident you didn’t cause. In a car accident, you must prove that the other party’s negligence caused the wreck, you got hurt in the wreck, and you’re out of money you wouldn’t have been but for the collision.
Without post-accident medical bills, it’s harder to prove that you suffered financial losses. And, if you don’t have proof that your injuries occurred in the car accident, the insurance company can easily claim that these were pre-existing conditions or that you were injured in another manner (in any manner but the wreck).
Going to the doctor a few days after the collision is better than not going at all. If you explain to the police how the accident happened and where you were injured, they may still attribute your injuries to the crash. Just keep in mind that insurance companies will exploit any delay in getting medical attention.
Talk to Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates about your accident
If you don’t have proof that you were injured and that these injuries resulted in financial losses, then you don’t have much of a case. You may be able to get compensation for property damage, but not much else. If you still want to file a claim against the other driver, then the advice of a skilled car accident lawyer is critical.
Have you been hurt in a car wreck that wasn’t your fault? We can help you. Call Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates at (800) 985-1819 today for a free consultation.
