If you’ve been in a car crash here in Virginia, and have talked to an insurance adjustor, they likely asked was, “how bad was the damage to your car?” When it comes to a personal injury claims, the reason this question is asked (as you probably know) is people will infer how badly you were injured based upon how much damage your car sustained.
But what if your car sustained minimal damage, and you are still feeling significant pain from your accident? Does this mean you don’t have a good Virginia car accident case?
Small damage can lead to significant injuries.
At Abrenio Law, we too ask the details about the property damage in your car crash when evaluating your personal injury claim. The truth is that if your vehicle was demolished in a crash, it will likely be easier to convince an insurance adjuster that you were badly injured.
With that said, simply because you had minor damage does not mean that you weren’t injured. In fact, we’ve represented many clients that sustained minor damage to their vehicle, but have suffered devastating consequences. Just like folks can walk away unscathed from a crash that completely totaled their vehicle, other folks can suffer serious injury from a relatively minor impact in a car crash.
Why following through with treatment is so important.
While minor property damage in a Virginia car crash case can be overcome, if you fail to seek treatment for your pain and suffering, such failure can be devastating to your Virginia car crash case. Far too often, we receive calls from folks in “small impact” cases that have serious resulting symptoms. But they fail to follow through with treatment.
When asked if they need an ambulance, they refuse the ride. Despite suffering headaches and dizziness, they push off going to their primary care doctor. Even if they make it to their physician, they disregard referrals to physical therapy, specialists and/or imaging.
At Abrenio Law, we always tell folks that we, “rest on our medicine.” Your treating doctors are the key to your success. Without them, we don’t stand much chance of success. By getting the treatment you need, you maximize your chances of reaching a full recovery. But you also memorialize the injuries you sustained due to the accident.
So, you’re saying we are guaranteed money if I just go to the doctor?
To be clear, we are not saying go to the doctor even if you don’t need treatment. What we are saying is follow through with the care that you need. And focus on getting better. If you weren’t injured in your car crash, and you don’t need treatment, your personal injury claim will be minimal. And that makes sense – you weren’t really injured so you deserve minimal compensation.
But if you were truly injured, even in a small impact case, you need to follow through with your treatment to stand a chance to be properly compensated for your accident. The simple truth is that car crashes that involve minimal property damage are not easy . Indeed, there’s a real chance you’ll be treated unfairly by insurance adjusters, judges, and juries who simply believe you couldn’t have been injured with small property damage.
But you stand little to no chance if you also fail to get the treatment you need. So, listen to your body and listen to your doctors.
Still have questions?
Make sure to check out our Personal Injury & Criminal Defense Practice Pages where we’ve answered many other questions you likely have. James Abrenio is a Fairfax-Based Personal Injury & Criminal Defense attorney who practices throughout Northern Virginia. You can learn more about James Abrenio, some of our Prior Results, and Read Our Reviews. Make sure to contact us at Ph. 703-570-4180 for your Free Consultation.