Refusing Medical Treatment After a Car Accident: How It Affects Your Claim

Refusing medical treatment after a car crash might seem harmless, especially if you think you’re only dealing with soreness or minor discomfort. You may just want to get home, rest, and wait to see how you feel. 

But if you’re considering a claim for your injuries, what seems like a personal health choice can actually become a key factor insurance companies use to question your case. They’re not looking for proof that you were hurt. They’re looking for reasons to pay less.

The attorneys with Fadduol, Cluff, Hardy & Conaway P.C. have seen how quickly insurers twist a person’s decision to decline treatment into proof that they weren’t hurt at all. If you live in New Mexico and you’re trying to make sense of how your health decisions can affect your claim, we want to walk you through it with clarity, not pressure.

Refusing Medical Treatment Is More Than a Health Decision

You must document your injuries when pursuing a personal injury claim. That usually means seeing a medical professional shortly after the crash and following their treatment plan. When you choose not to do that, the insurance company may say your injuries didn’t matter – or didn’t exist in the first place.

That logic might not seem fair, especially when you were just trying to give your body a chance to recover on its own. But fairness isn’t what drives a claim adjuster’s decision-making. They’re focused on timelines, records, and perceived consistency. 

Using Your Inaction Against You

If you say you’re in pain but waited two weeks to see a doctor, they’ll point to that gap as a sign that your injuries weren’t serious. If you skip follow-up appointments, they’ll say you made your symptoms worse. And if you don’t seek treatment at all, they may try to close the door on compensation entirely.

We don’t bring this up to scare you. We bring it up because those are the real conversations we’ve had across countless cases. A New Mexico accident injury lawyer with FCHC Law will bring in medical experts to evaluate your injuries and work with you to explain any treatment gaps. We’ll also help you show how pain sometimes builds over time and isn’t always obvious right after a crash.

Why Insurance Companies Care So Much About Medical Records

Medical records are part of the paper trail that makes or breaks a personal injury case. When insurance companies comb through your file, they’re looking at what time you went to the emergency room, how long it took you to schedule a follow-up, and whether you finished physical therapy. All of that becomes ammunition.

Let’s say your back started hurting days after the wreck. If you didn’t go to the doctor immediately, the insurer might claim the pain came from something else. If you finally got treatment but didn’t explain that the pain had been constant since the crash, the delay could still be used against you. These are small things that get exaggerated during claim reviews.

From the very start of your case, your attorney will dig into the details and show how insurance companies ignore how real injuries unfold. We’ll gather testimony from treating physicians, gather notes from every visit, and make sure the insurer hears the full story, not just the parts that benefit them.

Refusing Medical Treatment After a Crash Can Affect Compensation

Insurance companies view treatment like a mirror of your suffering. If you didn’t go to the doctor, they’ll argue that your pain must not have been severe. If you don’t follow instructions, they’ll say you worsened your condition. Either way, it becomes a tool to devalue your claim.

Our accident injury attorneys will push back on those arguments. We know that life doesn’t always allow for immediate doctor visits. You might’ve been caring for a loved one, lacked transportation, or didn’t realize how badly you were hurt. That’s not an excuse. That’s context. We’ll help you put that context into a legal framework that strengthens your claim.

How We’ll Help You Tell the Full Story

When we build your claim, we’ll help you get the evaluations you might have skipped at first. If you’ve delayed treatment, we’ll work with your doctor to explain why that delay didn’t mean you weren’t hurt. If you’ve already started care, we’ll help you stay on track so your progress and setbacks are clearly recorded.

If you’re in New Mexico and unsure what your medical decisions mean for your case, we’re ready to help. Fadduol, Cluff, Hardy & Conaway P.C. will always prioritize your recovery and rights, because one shouldn’t come at the expense of the other. Schedule a free case review by calling 800-433-2408 or using our online contact form.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Q Why does refusing medical treatment after a car accident affect my injury claim?

A: Insurance companies may argue your injuries weren’t severe if you delayed or refused treatment, potentially reducing your compensation.

Q What if I delayed seeking medical care due to valid reasons like lack of transportation?

A: While insurance may still question the delay, a lawyer can help provide context and show your injuries were legitimate despite the delay.

Q: How can an attorney help if I’ve already refused or delayed medical treatment after an accident?

A: An attorney can work with doctors to explain the delay, gather evidence, and build a case showing the true extent of your injuries.