What should I do after being injured?

Personal Injury - June 14, 2024

Protecting your health and safety is critical following an accident or other incident that causes you harm. Knowing what you should do after being injured is important for victims, as injuries come with a range of physical, financial, and emotional consequences. The Chicago personal injury attorneys at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates can help you pursue financial compensation from the party whose negligence, recklessness, or intentional act caused your injury.

A person after breaking their leg, wondering what to do after being injured with crutches at the end of the sofa

What should I do immediately after sustaining an injury?

If your injury is severe enough to require emergency care, do not move until care arrives. If you can move without causing more harm, document as much information about the accident and injuries as possible. Take pictures of the accident scene, being sure to capture important details.

For example, if you are hurt in a car accident, take photos of the cars involved, the accident scene overall, and any immediately apparent injuries. Should you sustain an injury because of negligence in the workplace, take pictures of the faulty equipment or whatever hazard led to the event.

Report the injury to someone with authority in the situation. That may be a member of law enforcement, a boss, or the manager or owner of the property owner where your injury occurred. Take contact information from witnesses as well. Collecting evidence and reporting the incident can help your attorney build your personal injury case.

Should I seek medical care?

It is extremely important to seek prompt medical care after sustaining an injury. You may be fortunate enough to walk away from an injury-causing accident, but that may only be because the effects of the injury have not yet appeared. Sometimes, the shock of adrenaline following an accident masks pain. What initially seemed to be a minor back injury can later become debilitating once that shock wears off.

Further, for some injuries, even a serious traumatic brain injury, symptoms take time to show. Delaying diagnosis and treatment can lead to more severe injury consequences that could be permanent. To protect your health, get care within a few hours or–at most–a day of your injuries. Then, follow your doctor’s orders.

Your decision to get prompt medical care also supports your personal injury claim. Failing to get fast care gives the at-fault party the opportunity to argue your injuries really were not that bad–if they had been, you would have gotten care quickly. It also allows them to claim you worsened your condition by putting off diagnosis and treatment. They could argue the effects of your injury could have been contained if you had received care and that they are not responsible for the harm you caused yourself.

When should I reach out to an attorney?

Call the Chicago personal injury attorneys at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates as soon as possible after your accident and after you have ensured your medical well-being. Once we’ve secured our legal partnership with you, our team will investigate your case fully, gather evidence to prove the at-fault party’s negligence, and manage all legalities.

Under the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS), injury victims have a two-year window to file personal injury cases with the court. A fast partnership allows your attorney time to investigate your accident and build a strong case while still filing within that legal deadline.

Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates is committed to getting youjustice

When someone causes you injury because of negligence, recklessness, or intent, Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates will fight to get you justice and fair compensation. The Chicago personal injury attorneys from our team are skilled negotiators and effective trial lawyers. Whether over the negotiating table or through a trial, we will fight aggressively to get you the settlement or verdict you need to recover your losses, put you on stable financial ground, and acknowledge your suffering.

Call (800) 985-1819 or send a message to schedule a free consultation. We look forward to hearing from you.