When you’re involved in an accident in California and suffer an injury, it’s crucial to seek immediate medical attention. Not only does this protect your health and well-being, but it also plays a critical role in protecting your personal injury claim.
Prompt medical care helps ensure your injuries are properly documented and treated — two factors that can significantly impact the value and credibility of your case. Below are the key reasons why delays or gaps in medical treatment can weaken your personal injury claim.
1. Insurance Companies May Argue You Weren’t Seriously Injured
Insurance adjusters often look for any reason to minimize or deny your claim. If you didn’t seek medical treatment after an accident, they may argue that your injuries weren’t serious or even question whether they were caused by the incident at all.
By visiting a doctor immediately after your accident, you create a medical record that directly links your injuries to the event — making it harder for the insurance company to dispute your case.
2. Gaps in Treatment Can Undermine Your Case
If you stop seeing your doctor or take long breaks between appointments, the insurance company may claim that you had recovered and that any later treatment was for an unrelated issue. They often argue that continuing pain or new treatments after a long gap aren’t connected to the accident.
Consistent medical care helps prove that your injuries are ongoing and directly related to the accident, strengthening your personal injury case.
3. You Have a Duty to Mitigate Your Damages
California law requires you to take reasonable steps to improve your condition after an injury — this is known as the duty to “mitigate” your damages (CACI No. 3930). In other words, you must follow your doctor’s recommendations, attend follow-up visits, and do what’s reasonably within your control to recover.
If you fail to do so, the defendant may not be held responsible for harm that could have been avoided through proper treatment and care.
Protecting Your Personal Injury Claim in Ventura, CA
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Ventura, CA and haven’t sought prompt medical attention — or if there’s been a gap in your treatment — it’s not too late to take action. Getting back under a doctor’s care can help strengthen your claim and demonstrate your commitment to recovery.
The attorneys at Richard | Bartlett Lawyers have extensive experience handling personal injury cases and understand how to overcome common insurance company tactics. We can help you gather medical evidence, document your injuries, and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Contact a Ventura Personal Injury Lawyer Today
All is not lost if you’ve had delays or gaps in medical treatment — but it’s important to address the issue quickly. Contact Richard | Bartlett Lawyers for a free consultation today. Call us at (805) 438-2440 or complete our online contact form to speak directly with an experienced personal injury attorney.
To learn more about how we handle these types of cases, visit our Personal Injury page, or see examples of our successful outcomes on our Case Results page.