Get medical attention and follow up

By Jacob Alford

How do I choose between emergency help and a nonemergency appointment?

Use emergency services for danger signs. For other symptoms or uncertainty about an injury, contact a healthcare professional promptly for the right level of care. A guide cannot examine you, and the absence of visible damage does not decide whether you are injured.

After a possible concussion, emergency warning signs include a worsening headache that will not go away, repeated vomiting, seizures, weakness, new slurred speech, unusual confusion, loss of consciousness, or trouble waking. Call 911 or seek emergency care immediately for these signs. Children may also have inconsolable crying or refuse to nurse or eat. CDC symptom and danger-sign guidance.

A concussion can follow a blow to the body that causes rapid movement of the head and brain, even without a direct head strike. That possibility warrants attention; it does not diagnose your particular symptoms. CDC on mild traumatic brain injury.

Do not choose treatment to satisfy an adjuster or to create a record. Choose it for your health, follow clinical instructions, and keep an accurate record of what happened.

What if symptoms appear after I leave the scene?

Report new or worsening symptoms to a healthcare professional; seek emergency care for danger signs. Some concussion symptoms appear hours or days after an injury. You do not have to pretend your first roadside impression was a complete medical assessment. CDC symptoms.

Write down when a change began, what it feels like, and what activities it affects. Family members may notice memory, concentration, mood, sleep, or behavior changes before you recognize them. Tell the clinician about those observations. New slurred speech or another emergency warning sign calls for immediate care, not a diary entry and a wait.

If you already told someone you felt fine, be truthful about the sequence: what you knew then and what changed later. Do not invent an earlier symptom. If you have already spoken with an insurer, see the recorded-statement FAQ.

What should I tell the clinician about the wreck?

Explain the event, your symptoms, relevant prior conditions, and what changed afterward as accurately as you can. Include whether your head struck anything, whether you lost consciousness or felt confused, and any changes in memory, balance, speech, sleep, or normal activities. If you do not remember, say so rather than filling the gap.

Describe your baseline too. A prior neck problem, headache history, or earlier injury does not make the new event irrelevant. It helps the clinician distinguish what is old, new, or worse. Tell them about medications and other information they request.

Ask for instructions you understand: warning signs, follow-up, work, driving, activity, and how to contact the office if something changes. Follow the treatment plan or explain why you cannot. CDC recovery guidance.

Your job is to give an honest account, not a speech about case value.

What if I cannot reach the care I was told to get?

Tell the treating office about the obstacle promptly and ask for a workable next step. Cost, transportation, a closed office, childcare, and work demands are real problems. Do not silently miss care and hope everyone will understand why later.

Ask about scheduling, transportation resources, financial assistance, your health insurance, and any available auto-policy medical benefits. TDI explains coverage that may help with medical bills. Keep a record of the obstacle and your effort to solve it. If symptoms become an emergency, seek emergency help instead of waiting for an appointment or claim decision.

Some providers can coordinate billing with available insurance or arrange to wait for payment while a claim is handled. The Texas Supreme Court describes letters of protection in In re K & L Auto Crushers, page 3, footnote 1. Ask your lawyer and the treating office what arrangement fits your situation, and keep a copy. If you need help getting care, make the free call.

What should I do after a crash if I am pregnant, even if I feel unhurt?

Seek immediate medical attention after a crash if you are pregnant, even if you think you are uninjured. NHTSA gives this advice to pregnant drivers and passengers. Feeling well or seeing little vehicle damage is not a reason to skip that assessment. NHTSA pregnancy and crash guidance.

Tell the emergency or treating team that you are pregnant and notify your obstetric clinician. Explain when the crash happened, how far along you are, where you were seated, how the belt was positioned, and any symptoms or changes you have noticed. Describe what you know without guessing about an injury.

Follow the treating team’s instructions about assessment, warning signs and follow-up. Ask whom to contact if something changes after you leave. Keep the instructions, records and bills with your crash file, and use the care-access steps if reaching recommended care becomes difficult. Do not wait for an insurance decision before seeking the immediate assessment.

Attorney reviewed by Jacob Alford · November 11, 2026