After an accident in Nevada, you should always get immediate medical care by visiting the closest hospital or emergency room. Even if you think you haven’t been injured, you may have an injury with delayed symptoms. Prompt medical attention is important for proper injury diagnosis and treatment. It also shows an insurance company a clear connection between the accident and your injuries.
The Importance of Immediate Medical Care
Many common accident-related injuries are serious and need prompt or emergency medical treatments. Otherwise, you could suffer worsened injuries and more severe symptoms. A spinal cord injury, for example, requires immediate stabilization to prevent further damage to the spine that could result in permanent paralysis. For your own health and safety, you should always seek medical attention right away after an accident. Delays in medical care can also put you at risk of a more difficult personal injury claim. An insurance company can use the delay against you to argue that you failed to mitigate your damages, that your injuries are not as serious as you are claiming they are or that your injuries are not connected to the accident. These arguments could get in the way of your recovering fair compensation.
Most Insurance Claims: 72 Hours
Sometimes, insurance companies set time limits on how soon an individual must get medical care after a harmful accident to qualify for coverage. Typically, it is within three days or 72 hours, although all insurers have different rules. If you wait to file your insurance claim, you could miss this window and have your claim denied. However, if there is a reasonable explanation for the delay, such as the delayed discovery of your injuries, this can restore your eligibility for coverage.
Workers’ Compensation Claim: 7 Days for Reporting
If you were injured at work, you should again seek medical treatment right away. You can visit any nearby hospital for emergency care; you don’t have to go to one that your employer has approved. You then have seven days from the date of the accident to report it to your employer to qualify for workers’ compensation coverage, and 90 days to file a formal claim.
Two Years Is the Statute of Limitations in Nevada
While you should get medical care for your injuries much sooner, two years is the amount of time given to you to file a personal injury lawsuit. This is the statute of limitations on most types of personal injury cases under Nevada law. Attempting to file once the statute of limitations has already expired will lead to your claim being “time-barred,” or blocked from continuing.
What if I Didn’t Go to the Hospital Right Away?
If you delayed getting medical care after an accident in Nevada, you can still qualify for financial compensation for injuries caused by someone else’s negligence. However, it can be more difficult to get a fair value for your insurance settlement. Contact a personal injury attorney for assistance with the claims process. A lawyer can take over communications with an insurance company, protect your rights, defend gaps in treatment, and prove that your injuries are serious and connected to the accident. With an attorney’s representation, you can maximize your settlement value despite delays in medical treatment.