If you are involved in any kind of accident that results in an injury, you are going to have a lot on your plate. Unfortunately, while the best thing for your health would probably be to sit back and take things easy for a while, that would not be the wisest course of action. It could end up costing you greatly. 

There are many things to keep track of after an accident, so it helps to heed the advice of knowledgeable professionals. Two professions with a lot of experience with accidents, and knowledge of how to proceed after an accident, are doctors and lawyers. You should meet with both and discuss every aspect of your life moving forward. No matter what it is, they’ve seen and heard it before, and they can help.

Follow All Advice

After any accident, one of the most important things that you are going to need to do for your health and well-being is to have a medical evaluation. It doesn’t matter if you believe yourself to be injured or not. Some injuries caused by accidents do not appear right away, and waiting to visit a doctor can both cause further harm to your health, as well as hurt you in any legal case that may arise as a result of your injury.

When you visit your doctor, you are going to want to get as much information about any injuries you may have sustained as well as information on how those injuries might affect other areas of your life. The following are the key points of what you should discuss with your doctor.

The Accident

The first thing that you need to talk to your doctor about is the accident itself. They need to know the specific circumstances involved in how you got hurt so they know where to look for possible hidden injuries.

Your Injuries

While your doctor is looking for any injuries that haven’t yet become clear, they also need to know any damage that you are aware of and any symptoms you may be experiencing. That way, they can properly evaluate your case and give you a correct diagnosis.

Your Prognosis

It is vital to get your doctor’s opinion about your condition so that you know how to proceed. You should discuss your prognosis with your doctor on your initial visit as well as during any follow-up visits. They can give you information about how long to expect healing to take, what activities can help your recovery and which to avoid, as well as informing you of any potential long-term or permanent effects that your injuries could have on your life.

Your Treatment

Of course, one of the things you will probably be most interested in will be the treatment of your injuries. You will want to talk about the different options you have available to you and the pros and cons that each option possesses, such as the dangers, recovery times, costs, and effectiveness of different approaches.

Your Work

Another key point to discuss with your doctor is returning to work. Your doctor will want to know about your job and the different duties that you perform there. After they have that info, they will advise you about when you might be able to return to normal work activities. 

You may also need your doctor to provide you with a note or documentation for your workplace to excuse you from work or make accommodations to temporarily relieve you of duties that you aren’t able to perform.

Your Legal Situation

In most situations involving an accident, you are going to go through some form of legal proceedings. This can be between you and your insurance company, another party involved in the accident, your employer, or a variety of other individuals, depending on the circumstances surrounding your accident. The type of legal proceedings can also vary from negotiating a settlement with your insurance to taking a lawsuit to court.

Whatever the situation though, you are going to want to talk to your doctor about obtaining your medical records, as well as any other documentation that could be useful for your circumstances, such as a written statement from your doctor about your injuries.

Don’t Miss Any Appointments

Showing up to all scheduled appointments can be critical when filing a claim with insurance. The same goes for following your doctor’s advice. Do everything your doctor tells you as skipping a doctor’s appointment or ignoring advice can compromise your claim, and you can miss out on the financial assistance that you need for recovery.

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