You can still go to the doctor.  It is common for symptoms pertaining to auto accident injuries to arise a significant time after the accident instead of immediately.You should inform the at-fault party's insurance carrier in writing that you have a personal injury claim.Don't try to settle your claim until you have completed your medical treatment and have been released by the doctor or have been declared by the doctor to be permanent and stationary which means having reached a point in your medical treatment where no further improvement is anticipated.Your personal injury claim should include compensation for your medical bills, compensation for pain and suffering which is an amount in addition to your medical bills based on the medical reports documenting your injury, and compensation for wage loss.Compensation for the medical bills is straight reimbursement.Compensation for wage loss is straight reimbursement.As mentioned above, compensation for pain and suffeing is an amount in addition to the medical bills.If the case is settled with the at-fault party's insurance carrier, NO lawsuit is filed.If you are dissatisfied with settlement offers, reject them and file a lawsuit for negligence against the at-fault party.  If the case is NOT settled, your lawsuit for negligence against the at-fault party must be filed prior to the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations or you will lose your rights forever in the matter.