Car accidents can have devastating physical consequences. When 3,000 pounds of metal slams into you, the results are often tragic. Even protective features, like seat belts and airbags, can cause harm due to the force of impact. Such violent impact often leads to many bodily injuries, including stomach pain.
If you are experiencing stomach pain after a car accident in Mississippi, you may be wondering what to do. There are both medical and legal steps you should take to help your recovery. This article highlights three steps to take when you experience stomach pain after a car accident.
Step 1: Seek Medical Attention
Your first priority after any car accident injury should be to seek medical treatment. Stomach pain could indicate a range of injuries, from minor to life-threatening. Here are just a few of the injuries that might cause stomach pains after a car accident:
- Bruises and lacerations,
- Broken ribs,
- Internal bleeding, and
- Organ damage.
Even if you were wearing a seat belt, you might sustain many of these injuries. Seat belt syndrome is the name for injuries caused by these safety devices.
While wearing a seat belt prevents you from being ejected from a vehicle in a collision, the belt presents other risks. Seat belts cause bruises and abrasions, and 30% of patients with seat belt bruises also suffer internal injuries.
Symptoms That Require Medical Attention
It is best to visit an emergency room soon after your car accident. However, the shock of the car accident may prevent you from realizing the extent of your injuries. If you don’t realize you’re hurt at first, you might start feeling pain hours or days after the accident. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms:
- Stomach pain after a car accident;
- Swollen stomach after a car accident;
- Lower abdominal pain after a car accident;
- Hard stomach after a car wreck;
- Upset stomach after a car accident;
- Low or high blood pressure after a crash;
- Fast or slow pulse after a wreck;
- Fever or chills after a car crash;
- Clammy skin after a car wreck;
- Blood in the urine after a car accident; or
- Nausea or vomiting after a car wreck.
Don’t worry about the cost of medical treatment. A personal injury lawyer can help you get compensation for your medical treatment and other accident damages. All you need to focus on is getting the medical attention you need for abdominal pain after a car accident.
Step 2: Collect Evidence
Whether you’re negotiating with your insurance company or filing a personal injury lawsuit, evidence to support your claim usually helps. You need two types of evidence after a car accident: evidence to support your version of accident fault and evidence to support the harm you suffered.
Evidence from the Accident Scene
If you do not need urgent medical treatment, you can collect evidence at the accident scene. Always prioritize your medical care, and ask a trusted friend or family member to collect evidence if you need treatment. Attempt to gather these details from the accident scene:
- Photographs of the damage to both vehicles;
- Photographs of the surrounding environment;
- The other driver’s license and insurance; and
- Witness names and contact information.
This accident evidence can help prove which party was at fault for the accident. Even if you were partially to blame for the accident, you may still recover from the other driver. In Mississippi, you can recover damages based on the other driver’s percentage of fault for the accident.
For instance, if the other driver was 40% responsible for an accident that cost you $100,000 in medical bills, you could potentially receive $40,000 from the driver.
Evidence of Accident Damages
You should also document the harm you suffered in the accident. If you sustained injuries, take photographs of those injuries right after the accident and in the days to follow. For instance, bruises or swelling might be more visible days after the accident. These other details can also back your claim, so gather them if possible:
- Medical invoices and reports;
- Paystubs;
- Communications with your employer regarding your accident;
- Communications with any insurance company about your accident;
- Invoices from car repairs;
- Receipts for property repairs or replacements;
- Any texts, emails, or notes describing how you feel physically or emotionally during your accident recovery; and
- Therapy or counseling invoices.
If you can’t find all this evidence, your attorney can use an investigator to help. Such photos and documents are crucial to supporting your claim and earning your maximum reimbursement for accident injuries.
Step 3: Contact an Attorney
When you are recovering from stomach pain and other injuries after an accident, you need someone to advocate for your fair compensation. Instead of trying to handle insurance company hassles on your own, contact an experienced accident attorney.
An accident attorney can review the specifics of your accident and inform you of legal options. Your lawyer will help you with any of the following tasks needed for your claim:
- Review insurance coverage for all parties;
- Calculate damages;
- Gather evidence to support the claim;
- Consider the possibility of a lawsuit against negligent parties;
- File insurance claims;
- File court documents;
- Negotiate with insurance companies; and
- Take your case to trial if necessary.
In addition, your attorney can point you to experienced medical professionals who will evaluate and treat your stomach pain. By taking the stress of insurance negotiations from you, an attorney gives you the time to focus on recovering from the accident.
Contact an Accident Attorney for a Free Consultation
If you have suffered stomach pains after a car accident, contact Harris Law Firm for a free consultation. Our attorneys will meet with you to learn the details of your experience and advise you of all available legal options. We’ll make every effort to get you maximum compensation so that you can focus on your physical and emotional recovery.
At Harris Law Firm, our lawyers have been helping accident victims for over 40 years. In those years of practice, we’ve helped thousands of clients recover collective millions in accident settlements and trial awards. No matter how many clients we assist, we maintain personalized service and genuine care for each person.
We have the legal skill and experience to handle even the most complicated personal injury cases. Contact us to learn your legal options for stomach pain after a car accident.
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