Dont Delay Seeking Medical Treatment After an Auto Accident

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on March 23, 2011

In more than three decades as an Orlando personal injury attorney, James O. Cunningham has seen this scenario many times. Drivers and passengers refusing medical treatment after an auto accident, even seemingly minor accidents, discover in the days and weeks following the accident that they have suffered significant injuries that require extensive medical treatment. This happens more often than you might think and is due to several reasons including the following:

•    Our bodies are sometimes able to mask the severity of pain for a short time after an injury has occurred, and it is common for accident victims to refuse treatment because they think they are alright.

•    The scope and severity of many injuries, particularly neck and internal injuries, are not immediately apparent until days and weeks after the accident has occurred.

•    Injured victims know they have been injured, but don’t want to visit an emergency room unless absolutely necessary. In many cases, they end up in the ER within 24 hours to receive treatment anyway.

•    Injured auto accident victims believe that they can “tough it out” and deliberately avoid treatment for their injuries.

•    Injured people think that an ER visit will drive up their insurance premiums and base this very important decision on money.

Injured people making these and other justifications for refusing medical treatment after an accident are making a serious mistake. Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham urges all accident victims to seek and accept treatment whether they feel they are injured or not. In many cases, the injuries of people refusing treatment immediately after an accident worsen over time and result in debilitating injuries such as these:

•    Hairline fractures that become full fractures and cause muscle and nerve damage

•    Broken vertebrae in the neck that shift and cause profound pain, nerve damage and paralysis

•    Treatable internal injuries that lead to impaired organ function or failure without treatment

•    Concussions that lead to prolonged bouts of disorientation, dizziness, cranial bleeding and impaired brain function

•    Other injuries that become serious, life-threatening conditions over time

If you have been involved in an auto accident, Orlando auto accident lawyer James O. Cunningham strongly urges you to accept medical treatment. He understands that treatment can be quite expensive. If a negligent driver caused the accident, he may be able to help you receive compensation to help pay medical bills and other expenses. Don’t take a chance with your physical or financial health! Call Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 today to schedule a free consultation.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.