Being in a truck collision in Homestead or your community is already terrifying. In just a few seconds, your entire life can change. Not only is the experienced traumatic in and of itself, but it can affect your life permanently or for many years to come.
Unfortunately, the situation immediately following a trucking crash can compound the problem. You may be rushed to an emergency room and you may require immediate or emergency treatment for your injuries. Due to the rush to get you medical help, medical mistakes can occur. Often, you don’t have a lot of choice about which hospital you’re rushed to and which doctors take on your case. You will simply be taken to the hospital prepared to take you on as a patient and your case will be handled by the attending physician in the emergency room. Due to the rush to help and due to the circumstances surrounding the accident, medical mistakes can occur.
There are a few ways you can prevent medical mistakes after a trucking accident, however:
1) Have someone meet you at the emergency room.
If possible, have a friend or family member meet you at the emergency room. This person should have information about your allergies, medical conditions, and any medication you use. Your friend or family member can take notes about any findings the doctors make and can help you make decisions when you are in pain or have been given medication by emergency room staff. Often, in the emergency room following an accident you are too shaken up to make the right decisions. In these cases, having someone helping your decision-making can be invaluable.
2) Get a second opinion.
If you have been rushed to an emergency room following a trucking accident, you should follow up with your regular doctor or another physician after your release. Make an appointment the day after so you can go over what happened and so you can get a second opinion from a doctor you trust. You never know when a second doctor will find something an emergency room physician overlooked.
3) Have doctors write down information for you.
Get a copy of your medical records if possible, since they can come in handy during legal claims or insurance claims. When you’re an emergency room or a medical office, have doctors write down details of what you should be doing a home, their diagnosis, and information about which medications you need. When you have information written down, you don’t have to try to remember everything, reducing the risk of errors. A written list can also help you when you have to communicate with the pharmacist or when you have to get a prescription filled. A written document can help you avoid pharmacy errors and pharmacy malpractice in Homestead or your community.
4) Don’t avoid a medical consultation.
One of the biggest mistakes truck accident survivors make is to avoid seeking medical help entirely. If you have been injured in a trucking accident, your symptoms may be very subtle and you may not even have symptoms, even if you’ve been seriously injured. Even if you think you have escaped injury, visit a doctor or medical professional right away for a full evaluation.
5) Plan ahead and to make it easy for EMTs to help you.
Carry a card in your wallet outlining your insurance policies, allergies, medical conditions and any medication you are taking. Wear an alert bracelet or necklace to help medical professionals identify any serious medical concerns if you are unconscious at the site of an accident. Being able to communicate medical information even if you are seriously injured could help prevent serious medical complications such as allergic reaction.
If you have suffered a misdiagnosis, medical malpractice or other complication following a trucking accident or have suffered a serious injury in a trucking accident and would like to seek compensation, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free, no obligation case consultation.