After a major auto crash, you might get transported for emergency treatment. However, if you only experienced minor injuries, you may wish to forgo the hospital. It is important to your health and the integrity of your claim to have your injuries examined by medical professionals.

There are many injuries that can take time to appear and could be life-threatening if they aren’t diagnosed quickly. At Chubb Law, our Florida personal injury lawyers can go over the medical details of your case and how it may affect your claim.

Call For Medical First Responders After Any Auto Collision

Whether it’s a car, truck, or motorcycle accident, you should call 911 after the crash to bring first responders to the scene. Police can review the area and create an accident report, and paramedics and EMTs will evaluate the motorists for injuries. Even if you think you’re ok, you should request a medical assessment to identify whether you’re hurt and for a record of any conditions.

If the first responders find a reason to send you to the hospital for further treatment, follow their recommendations. You don’t have to go in the ambulance, but you should go quickly in case you have undiagnosed injuries. If your vehicle is too damaged to drive, contact a friend or family member to pick you up and take you to the hospital.

Why Should I Go to the Hospital After a Car Accident?

There are many reasons why you should seek medical attention at a hospital after being involved in a car crash. Even if someone simply bumped you from behind at a stoplight, the unexpected physical forces can make current conditions worse or create a new medical problem. In addition, you will need as much documentation as you can obtain for a successful insurance claim.

Some Injuries Aren’t Obvious Right Away

Paramedics and EMTs are trained to stabilize patients with severe injuries and get them to doctors as soon as possible. While they are highly experienced, they don’t specialize in diagnosing everything that’s wrong with you after a crash. Getting professional treatment within 24-72 hours after your car accident can prevent further injury.

If you wait too long, things might get worse or you could develop serious conditions. Visiting a hospital also establishes a record of your injury and connects it to the car accident. This can be extremely valuable for your insurance claim or lawsuit.

Hospitals Can Provide Full Treatment for Most Car Accident Injuries

Whether you arrive by ambulance or on your own, going to the hospital gives you access to a more robust level of treatment. You can suffer a wide range of injuries during a car accident that need advanced care, such as:

By visiting one of the hospitals or medical care centers in Seminole County, you can get surgery, ICU, ER, and other services to prevent further harm. They will use scans, X-rays, and other diagnostic tools to fully evaluate and document your injuries. This material can support your claim against the at-fault driver as you seek compensation.

Hospital Documentation Is Powerful Evidence in Your Claim

Some people prefer going to less traditional health practitioners, such as chiropractors, for treatment. While your personal choices must be respected, receiving a diagnosis from a hospital or other medical facility will carry more weight in a car accident claim. Insurance companies will compare your injuries and care needs to industry standards established in traditional institutions.

Filing an insurance claim can be challenging if you don’t have strong evidence showing what happened and details about the injuries you suffered. Adjusters may push back against your demands if they don’t see enough documentation.

Hospital Doctors Can Refer You To Specialists

If you suffer traumatic brain injuries, extreme limb damage, spinal cord injuries, or widespread severe burns, you may need help from doctors, surgeons, and other practitioners who specialize in those fields. Although you could request this help on your own, these facilities will usually require a full diagnosis and records indicating your condition.

Also, if the hospital discovers you have a significant condition, such as a brain injury, they can transport you to locations like the Orlando Health Neuroscience Institute.

How Undiagnosed Injuries From a Car Accident Can Impact Your Life

Undiagnosed injuries such as internal bleeding, herniated discs, whiplash, or brain swelling can worsen quickly, leaving you in need of surgery or other emergency care. If you are driving or working when you lose consciousness, you could get into another car accident or fall. If you don’t get care, your life could be at risk.

Common car accident injuries include:

  • ● Brain bruising or swelling that leads to loss of cognition or physical function
  • ● Spinal cord damage that leads to paralysis or loss of sensation
  • ● Internal bleeding, indicated by loss of blood pressure, unconsciousness, and organ damage
  • ● Punctured lungs that cause respiratory distress
  • ● Infection from untreated cuts or scrapes
  • ● Mobility issues from strained or sprained muscles
  • ● Disc injuries leading to pain or nerve damage

By not going to the hospital right away, your injuries can worsen and require emergency treatment as a result of waiting. Although you may worry about the cost of visiting a facility after a crash, you can submit your receipts as part of your compensation in your car accident claim.

Insurance Companies May Deny Your Claim Without Sufficient Documentation

Under Florida law, all drivers must carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage and liability insurance. You may also have private health insurance, giving you further options after a car accident. However, when you attempt to file a claim with any of these providers, you may experience pushback without enough evidence of your injuries.

Insurance companies are for-profit businesses, and they closely guard their bottom line by preventing unnecessary payouts. When you have records and treatment plans from a hospital or other medical facility, you have a stronger claim. Additionally, getting help from a skilled car accident attorney who knows how to negotiate prevents you from accepting a lowball offer and paying out-of-pocket for your medical bills.

By not going to the hospital after a car accident, it could appear to the insurance company that you weren’t that badly hurt. You have 14 days to file a PIP claim, but visiting a hospital promptly lends more credibility to your claim for compensation. Finally, the insurer might claim you made your injuries worse by waiting too long and that they aren’t responsible for paying you.

When You Can Claim Fault in the No-Fault State of Florida

Although Florida is a no-fault state, you may have the right to file a claim against the other driver’s liability insurance in certain circumstances. If the driver received a citation for a moving violation, other evidence indicates the fault of the other driver, or the police report shows injuries (or possible injuries), you could use those documents to establish fault against that driver.

You may also file a fault-based claim when you suffer what the Florida auto insurance statute considers “significant or permanent” injury from the collision. This provides even more support for going to the hospital after a car accident.

After a Car Accident, Should I Go to the Hospital If I Have Certain Symptoms?

Yes, there are important symptoms that mean you should definitely go to a hospital or emergency medical facility. Some of the most critical indicators are:

  • ● Dizziness or loss of consciousness
  • ● Nausea
  • ● Blurry vision
  • ● Headaches
  • ● Hearing loss
  • ● Difficulty understanding spoken or written communication
  • ● Difficulty speaking or finding words
  • ● Loss of sensation in any part of the body
  • ● Sleep disorders
  • ● Muscle weakness or pain
  • ● Loss of blood pressure
  • ● Seizures

You should also go to a hospital if any pre-existing conditions get worse. Insurance providers may be reluctant to pay if they believe you were already hurt before the accident, but careful evaluation and treatment can identify old injuries compared to new ones. Fortunately, Florida recognizes the “eggshell rule” for plaintiffs, so you can still claim compensation if the accident made your pre-existing conditions worse.

Hospital Records Can Help You Claim Compensation

When you have records and reports from a hospital and other providers, your car crash lawyer is better able to build a strong case for compensation from insurance claims or personal injury lawsuits. Some types of economic damages with a specific value could include:

  • ● Your emergency medical treatment in the ICU and ER
  • ● Surgery, whether emergency or to correct injuries
  • ● Transport costs by ambulance or helicopter
  • ● Prescription medications
  • ● Therapy and rehabilitation services
  • ● Mobility aids and medical devices
  • ● Travel expenses for treatment and appointments

You may also claim your lost wages while you recover, as well as missed bonuses, promotions, and retirement savings payments. If you lose your health insurance because you cannot work, you can also request payment for new insurance premiums. There is a wide range of compensatory losses you could claim, and your attorney can help you negotiate for a fair settlement.

Hospital Records Can Also Support Your Claim for Subjective Losses

There are also many non-economic damages you may suffer, such as emotional distress, isolation, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. These intangible losses, grouped under the term “pain and suffering,” can be substantial in the event of loss of limb, traumatic brain injury, or paralysis. For these conditions, the journey to recovery often involves tremendous psychological hurdles once the body has healed.

CT scans and other imaging records are the first step to receiving ongoing care and can help your doctors establish your projected treatment. Your auto accident attorney can then estimate your future costs and better calculate your full compensation needs.

Filing an Insurance Claim After a Car Crash

Florida requires you to carry a minimum of $10,000 in PIP insurance, although you can purchase more if you choose. Generally, you must file your claim through your insurance provider’s methods (such as by mail, telephone, or online) within 14 days to qualify for payment. There are certain types of documentation you must include, like your medical scans, receipts, and pay stubs indicating lost income.

The insurance adjuster may question the severity of your injuries, which is when hospital treatment records can become important. You can also benefit from working with a car accident lawyer who has strong negotiating skills. They can help you push for a better offer from the insurer.

Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Car Accident

If your injuries are serious enough that you have the right under Florida law to seek more aggressive legal action, your auto accident lawyer will help you file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver. This process can often allow you to obtain compensation for all your medical costs, lost wages, and additional losses. You may also recover payment for your pain and suffering.

A lawsuit is more comprehensive than filing an insurance claim, since you must establish that the other driver owed you a duty of safety, that they failed in that duty, and that you were injured as a direct result. You can then present your list of damages for repayment by the liable party. Your attorney can help you assess your claim and collect additional evidence to demonstrate how the other driver was negligent.

Florida’s Comparative Negligence System Could Affect Your Case

Showing how the other party is negligent is the key to winning your case, but your lawyer will recognize that the other side could try to claim you are at fault. Under the comparative negligence statute, you cannot be more than 50% to blame for the crash, no matter how severe your injuries are. If the evidence shows you were mainly at fault, you are legally barred from seeking compensation.

Your lawyer will investigate and examine the evidence to minimize your contribution. For example, even if you failed to signal a right turn and another driver rear-ended you, the court may find that the other driver was 70% at fault for following too closely. This means you can collect 70% of your damage demands, minus the 30% associated with your part of the accident.

Hospital Records Are Only One Kind of Evidence You Can Use

Going to the hospital establishes a connection between the car accident and your injuries. You can use these to show the extent of your condition and build upon it with other kinds of documentation. Examples include:

  • ● Photos: By taking photos of your injuries, the vehicles, the weather, road conditions, signs, and anything else related to the crash, you can capture the immediate aftermath. Keep taking pictures as you recover to document your progress.
  • ● Witness statements: Asking witnesses for their contact details allows your lawyer to contact them for their statements later. They may also provide photos or videos they have of the incident.
  • ● Video footage: Traffic, security, or dashboard cameras may have captured what happened before and during the collision, further supporting negligence claims.
  • ● Police crash reports: Law enforcement officers will record details for all drivers involved in the accident and may issue citations. This official report can be extremely persuasive as your lawyer works to present your case to a jury.
  • ● Expert testimony: Your law firm can collaborate with experts from medical, accident reconstruction, and other fields to present information and opinion about what happened.

The details of your accident will determine other types of evidence your lawyer may acquire. They will perform the necessary research to create a robust case built on high-quality material.

After You Get Home From the Hospital, Call a Respected Personal Injury Lawyer

As you can see, dealing with the injuries, paperwork, and negotiations after an automobile accident can be very complicated. You need rest and reduced stress to recover from the whole ordeal, something that is very little of during a collision claim. By hiring an attorney, you can leave these struggles to a professional who has the experience and training to manage them.

You can begin by asking family and friends for their suggestions, but you should look for someone who makes you feel confident and comfortable. Most attorneys offer free consultations, so you can ask questions and discuss potential approaches. Because you will be working closely with them for weeks or months to settle your case, you want them to treat you with honesty and compassion.

Another feature to consider is whether the firm offers a contingency pay structure. Some lawyers require upfront retainers, but most personal injury firms only accept claims they feel relatively sure they can win. This allows them to defer payment from you until they have a settlement, then take their fees afterward. They fight harder for you because when you win, they win.

Chubb Law Is Prepared to Fight for Your Best Interests After a Florida Car Accident

At Chubb Law, we can provide the answers during a free consultation, giving you the confidence and peace of mind to pursue your case. We will be by your side every step of the way, negotiating fiercely against insurance companies to secure maximum compensation for your recovery.

As of 2025, Florida’s statute of limitations only allows two years to file a personal injury lawsuit, so you must act quickly. Contact us online to arrange a free case review with a Chubb Law car accident lawyer today.

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