Question:
If you have been through orientation or when you do go through orientation you will here all sorts of policies and procedures for handling yourself if you are involved in an accident. Things like remain calm, secure the area, check on the other people involved in the incident, call or arrange for someone to call for help, take pictures, etc.
What I am going to talk about goes beyond this into what should be common sense but is not. Anytime you are involved in an accident you should insist on being checked out by qualified medical personel as soon as possible, even if you feel fine or think any injuries you may have recieved are very minor.
When you are in an accident your adrenaline level shoots up and can and often will mask any real symptoms you have, and it can be HOURS before you fully calm down enough to notice how you really feel and by that time it may be too late or it may make what is a relatively minor injury a major one.
What may seem at first to be a simple bruise could end up being indications of internal bleeding, what seems to be a simple bump on the head could be anything from a minor concussion to even a possible skull fracture. Only a trained and qualified medical professional can make an actual diagnosis as to the extent of your injuries.
While ensuring your well being physically as soon as possible is the most important reason to having yourself checked out there is at least one other reason to NOT refuse medical attention. Insurance. By turning down medical attention at the time it is offered could possibly lead to any further claims being denied should problems arise later on. The police and/or EMT's who respond to the accident will make a note who accepted and who declined medical attention, and insurance companies will be recieving a copy of these reports and may come back and say that you "current" issues could not possibly be caused by the accident since you admitted to being fine at that time but 3 days later didn't.
If you are alert, coherant, etc. you have the right by law to refuse medical attention at the scene or immediately after an accident, but IMHO only a fool would do so.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
Answer:
i agree uturn. having just been in an accident myself and told by a doctor last night that i should have been seen the night of the accident, i fully concur.
i disagree on one thing however, sometimes injuries do not surface until a couple days after the accident and the insurance company is still responsible to pay your medical bills if their insured is at fault. the insurance companies and the courts know this.
i was involved in an accident a number of years ago and the defendant was saying in court that at the scene of the accident i seemed fine as i was walking around. the judge argued that injuries can come up the next day or even the next week that are not felt at the time of the accident.
if you were in an accident it is imperative that you be seen right away but if you feel you are injured a couple days later you still have the right to be evaluated medically and they are liable to pay your medical expenses because THEY hurt you. for them to argue that they don't have to be responsible for this would never hold up in court.
when you pray you talk to God
when you stand in front of the ocean he talks to you


Answer:
" for them to argue that they don't have to be responsible " They won't argue about it. Insurance companies as well as most Doctors know injuries can show up well after the acident. If you don't go at the time it happens but feel bad later then go. No need to listen to truck stop lawyers that tell you differently.
I received an 18k settlement after one accident and didn't see a Doctor for 2 days.
By the way Lori I hope you sue that girl. maybe the cops to. But their kind of hard to sue.
"There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot."

Answer:
" for them to argue that they don't have to be responsible " They won't argue about it. Insurance companies as well as most Doctors know injuries can show up well after the acident. If you don't go at the time it happens but feel bad later then go. No need to listen to truck stop lawyers that tell you differently."
I agree with uturn. While the insurance company is responsible for paying for your injuries regardless of when you see a doctor they will try to use the fact that you refused medical treatment.
I can testity to that from personal experience. The adjuster refused to pay anything by saying that I could not have been injured since I did not go to the emergency room. I did sue and collect but now I will always immediately seek medical attention if there is any chance I could have been injured.
It is not unusual for injuries to show up for two or three days after the accident. It is also not unusual for you not to realize that you are injured. A full checkup and a clearance from a doctor to return to duty is the best policy.
morris
Speeding Ticket Central

Answer:
One other item that you should consider is request a drug and BAT test if there is more then $50.dollors damage, a vehicle is towed from the scene or a death. protect yourself from liability. Always.
Catch you on the flip!

Answer:
Unless advised to by a lawyer, never sign anything from the insurance company stating that you are fine, uninjured, or that you no longer hold the insurance company or the other person responsible.
i disagree on one thing however, sometimes injuries do not surface until a couple days after the accident
Injuries will be present at the time of the accident, though the severity of the symptoms may increase over the course of the next several days, or you may make the injury worse by normal activities.
and the insurance company is still responsible to pay your medical bills if their insured is at fault. the insurance companies and the courts know this.
Insurance companies do not care about you and will use anything they can to justify not paying out on a claim. As I tried to make the point earlier, all you are doing is potentially making things harder on yourself by refusing initial medical treatment, which the insurance company is going to try to latch onto in order to keep its money. You can easily go from just having to submit a claim to a long legal battle by not seeking initial medical treatment immediately after an accident.
One thing I am curious about though. Where in the world did anyone get anything about not going later on if you start feeling worse. I have re read my post 3 x's now and can't seem to find where I said that.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
Answer:
One thing I am curious about though. Where in the world did anyone get anything about not going later on if you start feeling worse. I have re read my post 3 x's now and can't seem to find where I said that.
While ensuring your well being physically as soon as possible is the most important reason to having yourself checked out there is at least one other reason to NOT refuse medical attention. Insurance. By turning down medical attention at the time it is offered could possibly lead to any further claims being denied should problems arise later on. The police and/or EMT's who respond to the accident will make a note who accepted and who declined medical attention, and insurance companies will be recieving a copy of these reports and may come back and say that you "current" issues could not possibly be caused by the accident since you admitted to being fine at that time but 3 days later didn't.
i think you said it right there. i agree with you fully uturn. thats excellent advice. always go to the hospital if you are involved in an accident. you cannot surmise the extent of your injuries yourself as you are not a doctor. i made an error in judgment but not going the night of my accident.
i'm happy to report that i did go to the emergency room last night and my x-rays and cat scan showed that i am fine save for some bad bruises and muscle sprains. i am feeling 100 percent better.
be safe everyone.
when you pray you talk to God
when you stand in front of the ocean he talks to you


Answer:
Hey uturn, I don't see it either so don't feel bad.
On another note, some insurance companies have "emergency response vehicles" that show up on scene and try to take care of everything right there. Don't sign anything!!! until you calm down, get a police report, and are checked out by medical personnel. Most insurance people are honest, but if your luck is like mine, the a$$hole of the company will show up and try to put it to ya' real good. Read any statement he wants you to sign and sign/initial the bottom (right below the last line of type) of each page so he can't add anything later. Ask for copies on scene or don't sign.
Good luck, Marv

Answer:
I have to say that Uturn has made some very important points to everyone. My husband was in an accident a couple of weeks ago. At the time the only things that hurt on him was his left shoulder (where the seat belt came across) and his right shin (where his leg hit the dash). He had a hard time getting out of the truck at the time of the accident. Didn't notice anything else but did elect to go to the hospital to be checked out. A few days later his back started to really hurt him. It's been like pulling teeth to get his current doctor (worker's comp) to keep an eye on it. His orginal complaints at the time are the ones he's been watching close though. Of course the doctor feels that he has some torn muscles in his shoulder. It's hell but get checked out for your peace of mind.
Most people in life live with a 50-50-90 style. In other words when there is a 50-50 chance of getting something right there is a 90% probability that your going to get it wrong.
Answer:
Purchase a disposeable camera and have it vacuum sealed in a bag. That way moisture will not ruin the film.
If you are involved in an accident use it to take pictures at the scene. Then send the camera to your safety department.
It will be hard for the other party to claim more damage than actually occurred.
I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane.
Waylon Jennings