Why You Must See a Doctor After a Car Accident (Even If You Feel Fine)

Auto Accidents

Sep 5

A photo of a young Black woman standing beside her wrecked car on the side of the road. She is rubbing her neck and looking at her phone. Another driver in the background is also standing by on his phone.

Published: September 5, 2025. Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes

This article is part of our ongoing series for Auto Accident Awareness Month. So far, we’ve been covering topics ranging from California’s comparative fault system, to when you need a lawyer after an accident, to a look at the most dangerous California counties for drivers and road-users, and a deep dive on who decides whether an injury accident is considered “Serious.”

While you’re here, make sure to grab our guide: The Post-Accident Checklist, designed to give you peace of mind should you find yourself in a fender-bender.

You’ve just been in a car accident. Your heart is racing, but after a few minutes, you seem okay. You can walk around, and aside from some general soreness, you feel... fine. The idea of spending hours in an emergency room feels like an overreaction. Surely you should just go home and rest, right?

We strongly advise against that. While it’s perfectly natural to want to downplay your injuries (“The car looks worse than I do!”), seeing a doctor after any crash—even a minor fender-bender—is one of the most important steps you can take. Here’s why.

1. Adrenaline Masks Pain and Injury

A car crash is a sudden, violent event. Your body’s immediate response is to flood your system with adrenaline. This “fight or flight” hormone is a natural painkiller and can mask injury symptoms for hours or even days. What you dismiss in the moment as “just being shaken up” could be a sign of a soft-tissue injury, concussion, or whiplash that will become painfully apparent once the adrenaline wears off.

2. You Need to Document the Connection

From a legal perspective, the single most important thing you can do is create a paper trail that directly links your injuries to the accident.

For Your Health: A medical record created hours after the crash provides a baseline for your doctor. If your pain worsens days later, they can look back at the initial report and understand the full progression of your injury.
For Your Claim: Insurance companies look for any reason to minimize or deny a claim. A gap of several days between the accident and seeking medical care gives them an opportunity to argue that your injuries were not caused by the crash, or that they are less severe than you claim. An immediate medical report eliminates this argument.

3. “Minor” Injuries Can Be Major Later

Some of the most common and debilitating car accident injuries don’t show up on a simple X-ray and aren’t obvious at the scene.

Whiplash: Symptoms like neck stiffness, headaches, and dizziness often peak 24-48 hours after the impact.
Concussions (mTBI): You don’t need to lose consciousness to have a concussion. Confusion, fogginess, nausea, and sensitivity to light can be delayed signs.
Soft-Tissue Injuries: Damage to muscles, ligaments, and tendons can lead to persistent pain and mobility issues that become chronic without proper treatment.

Getting checked allows a doctor to identify these issues early, leading to better outcomes and preventing long-term problems.

4. What If I Really Feel Fine? Your Smart, Practical Plan

We understand not every situation requires an ambulance ride. Here is a responsible, tiered approach:

At the Scene: If you feel any pain, dizziness, or disorientation, accept medical transport from paramedics. Their assessment is vital.
If You Decline EMS: Go directly to an Urgent Care center or try to see your primary care physician that same day. Tell them you were in a car accident. This is a more appropriate and less resource-intensive option than the ER for non-emergencies.
The Next Day: If you truly feel nothing at the scene, listen to your body over the next 24 hours. The moment any new pain, stiffness, or unusual symptom appears, make an appointment immediately. Do not wait.

Bottom Line: Don’t Skip the Doctor

Over the years, we’ve heard from many clients who feel “just a little sore” immediately after an accident, only to find out later they have bruised ribs, or fractured wrists, or torn rotator cuffs. Our bodies try to keep going despite injury—until they can’t hide it anymore!

Think of it like multitasking: by seeing a doctor after a crash, you’re both taking care of yourself and establishing a paper trail so that you can maximize your claim. This is definitely a case where being proactive beats trying to tough it out.

Sincerely,

The Team at Caldwell Law Firm

Black and white portrait of a white man in a suit

Michael Train Caldwell was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, and resides in Marin County with his two children. The son of renowned San Francisco trial attorney, Edwin Train Caldwell, Michael comes from a family of litigators, and has been representing individuals facing injury and discrimination for over 20 years.