April 15, 2015

What If I Told the Officer I Wasn’t Hurt After a Car Accident?

You just experienced a crash. Your heart is racing. People are staring. Everyone is asking you questions. You check on your children in the backseat. The officer arrives, lights flashing.

The officer starts asking questions. Your kids are crying in the backseat. You are late to the next appointment. Traffic is backing up. Your spouse is on the phone asking questions. The situation is out of control.

Your adrenal glands react and pour adrenaline into your body. Your heart races. Your breathing increases. Your body prepares for a fight or a flight, masking pain.

The officer asks if you are hurt. You don’t feel any pain, or at least you don’t think you do. You tell the officer, “No.”

In South Carolina, over 50% of people who have been in a car accident tell the officer they are not hurt. The truth is many of those people will begin to hurt and realize the extent of the injury well after leaving the collision scene.

If you are hurt, the best thing to do is get to a medical professional as soon as possible. Do not delay going to the doctor because you told the officer you were not hurt. Adrenaline and shock mask many injuries at the collision scene.

While the insurance company may fight you, medical professionals know that pain from injuries after a car accident may take time to develop. The wrongdoer (and the wrongdoer’s insurance company) are not off the hook because you told the officer you were not hurt. The law requires wrongdoers and their insurance company to take full responsibility for your injuries.

If you have any questions about your car accident, please request my free resources or contact me for a free consultation.

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