Do You Need to See a Doctor after a Slip and Fall?

If you are asking whether you need to seek medical attention after any type of accident, a New Orleans personal injury attorney will tell you the answer is always yes, regardless of the circumstances. Simply put, medical treatment is the primary reason that insurance companies will seek settlements, and you are not likely to get any kind of settlement offer when you fail to see a doctor. 

You should never minimize the risk of any slip and fall accident because many falls have the potential to cause debilitating injuries, so prompt treatment is always a good idea. All falls deserve to be taken seriously, especially when they involve older adults.

The Importance of Medical Attention

The primary reason to seek medical care after a slip and fall concerns your health. Even when you feel fine after a fall, it is far from uncommon for people to suddenly feel twinges of pain or other discomfort days later because of injuries they were not aware they had sustained.

The bottom line is that you do not know how a slip and fall might have hurt you, so it is always a good idea to have a doctor perform a complete evaluation that ensures you did not suffer an injury that may present more lingering symptoms later on. Consider how many soft-tissue injuries present no visible signs of injury but end up causing extreme pain later on.

Beyond the immediate injury care, you also need to be mindful of what caused your fall and whether you could be at risk of falling again. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that falling once will double your chances of falling again, so you will want to get advice from your doctor or another medical professional about how you can best keep yourself safe.

The Importance of a Medical Record

Medical records will be crucially important for establishing that another party was at fault for your fall. The records help prove not only that a slip and fall accident caused your injuries but also contributed to your medical bills, lost income, and any other damages you are seeking. 

The burden of proof (meaning the obligation on a party in a dispute to provide sufficient evidence for its position) will be on you to demonstrate that you suffered compensable damages, and medical records can serve as:

• Direct evidence of injuries with emergency room records, doctor’s notes, a diagnosis, recommended treatment, and other medical documentation can serve as important forms of evidence. 
• Proof of damages that show an insurance company that you were seriously injured.
• Indications of what an injury case is worth because medical records will include the exact prices of hospital stays, surgeries, rehabilitation, and prescriptions. 

The Health Insurance Portability and Account Act (HIPAA) allows you to request a copy of your medical records, and when you are not sure which records you will need, you should talk to a personal injury lawyer. You may have to sign a HIPAA request form that will allow the attorney to request the appropriate records on your behalf. 

Call Us Today to Schedule a Free Consultation with a New Orleans Personal Injury Attorney

Did you suffer serious injuries in a slip and fall accident in the greater New Orleans area? You will want to be sure you have Egenberg Trial Lawyers on your side for help recovering every last dollar that is available to you.

Our firm can conduct a thorough independent investigation into your fall and secure the evidence necessary to demonstrate another party was at fault before negotiating a full and fair settlement that covers all of your personal expenses or we can take the case to trial when necessary. Call (504) 229-3117 or contact us online to arrange a free consultation so we can take the time to discuss all of the details of your case with you and outline what steps you should take to achieve a full recovery.