Your physical condition will play a major role in helping your attorney determine what compensation you are entitled to.
After the dust settles from your car accident, there are a few professionals that you should see. One of them is a St. Louis car accident attorney, but you should likely consult with a doctor first. When you do, you will receive a diagnosis of your damages and a treatment plan for how to get better. Of course, the doctor needs to know precisely how you’re feeling before carrying out those tasks. You can help make that happen by following the guidelines below.
How Long You’ve Been Feeling it
One of the critical factors that your doctor needs to know is how long you’ve been affected. In the case of a car accident, it will be how many days, weeks, or months it has been since your collision. Doctors often treat new injuries differently than old ones, so knowing how long you’ve been affected in crucial.
Your Triggers
Sometimes, pain is very straightforward. An example would be you having a knee injury that hurts every time you walk. Other times, pain can be confusing. You might experience no back pain throughout your entire day, then throw it out during a simple activity. Whatever your triggers are, make sure you come to the doctor with them in mind.
How Long it Lasts When it Comes
Some types of injuries cause pain that never goes away. It is constant, steady, and easy to describe. Other damages lead to discomfort that comes in spurts and then goes away entirely. Even more complicated, you might find that your issues oscillate between docile and severe depending on the time of day.
Where You Feel it
Perhaps the most obvious point on this list is location. To receive the care you need, you should tell your doctor where your pain is. The specifics of doing so can be a bit complicated, though. You must decide precisely where your problems start and end on your body. For complex issues like back pain, the doctor will help you decipher the exact location of your discomfort.
How You Feel it
Another description you can provide is how you feel your pain. Some words that people often use are aching, sharp, burning, splitting, shooting, tender, and throbbing. What makes this factor so important is that it informs both diagnosis and treatment. If you don’t quite understand all of those descriptions, you can ask your doctor about them at your appointment.
How it Limits You
The last thing your doctor will want to know is how your injury limits you. For less severe damages, you might find that you cannot complete complex movements, but your day to day tasks are still manageable. For acute injuries, your ability to walk, drive, or lift objects could be compromised.
The extent of your damages will be a critical factor to consider when you and your St. Louis car accident attorney decide what compensation to pursue after an accident. To obtain that information, you should see a doctor after your crash. When you do, follow the tips on this list to make your diagnosis and treatment plan fit your physical condition. Doing so will bring you one step closer to receiving compensation for your injuries.