At the scene of the accident, you might feel fine or think that you can just walk off your injuries. No legal mandate requires you to seek medical attention following a car accident. However, if you fail to see a doctor immediately after the accident, you may have more trouble proving later that your injuries came from the accident. The decision to avoid medical care may, as a result, limit the compensation you can claim.
Failure to seek medical care may also result in increased pain and suffering since you will not receive treatment for your injuries right away. In some cases, your failure to seek treatment could worsen your injuries, leaving you with permanent medical complications. Some conditions, including traumatic brain injury and spinal cord damage, may not show up immediately. Other accident victims find that they do not recognize serious symptoms at the scene of the accident due to the presence of adrenaline.