Mary: Hi Jason, my dad is 72 years old, and his car was hit in the rear the other day as he was turning into a parking lot. It damaged his car, but he walked away just fine. I keep telling him to the doctor, but he won’t listen. He doesn’t think it’s “right” to do that if nothing hurts. What do you think? Should he go?
Jason: Hi Mary, I am glad to hear that your dad is okay, but injuries from accidents don’t always show up right away. Some aren’t noticeable for days, weeks, or even months later. So, I would encourage you to talk to him again about this.
Mary: Wow, it could really take months for things to show up? What kinds of injuries could he have?
Jason: Going to the doctor is the best way to find out for sure. But to give you some examples, there are a number of soft tissue injuries that can show up later. One of the most common is whiplash. It’s caused by sudden movement (like the impact of your dad’s car getting hit from behind) and can injure your neck. And there are other injuries that can happen too, like damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Mary: Thanks Jason. I’ll talk to him again about this. But what if he still tells me he doesn’t feel “right” about it? He doesn’t want it to seem like he’s going after the person who hit him.
Jason: Well Mary, if he goes to the doctor and learns there’s nothing wrong, then there’s no harm done. But if your dad is injured, then getting a diagnosis means he can get treatment for it sooner. Plus, an early diagnosis can help if he has a case against the other party.
Mary: Oh, I didn’t think about that.
Jason: Yes, this is important. If your dad’s injuries show up later, and he never went to the doctor, then it will be harder to prove that they were connected to the accident. Seeing a doctor only protects him, it doesn’t hurt the other person.
Mary: Thank you Jason! You gave me some great points to talk to my dad about.
Jason: You’re welcome Mary.
DeSouza Law firm is a leading personal injury firm representing accident victims throughout Texas.
If you’ve been injured by a car, truck, 18-wheeler, company vehicle, or in the oilfield, call DeSouza injury Lawyers today at 361-799-2222 or visit the firm online at https://jfdlawfirm.com/.