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The Importance of Seeking Medical Attention After a Car Accident7 min read

Stephen Smith

by | Mar 1, 2023

Seeking medical treatment after a car accident is an important step that you can take to protect your health and your right to seek damages.

No one ever plans to be injured in a car accident. Car accidents are unexpected, disrupting events that can affect you and your family for years to come–especially if you have been injured. Seeking medical treatment after a car accident is almost always necessary. It is important to take care of your health right away after any collision. In addition, seeking medical attention after a car accident is an essential step in the legal process. 

Pursuing and achieving damages can give you the opportunity to heal and care for your family. Healthcare is expensive and sometimes the only way to ensure that you are able to afford the care you need is to bring a lawsuit for damages. The lawyers at the Hampton, Virginia-based Smith Law Center are unmatched when it comes to their experience with car accident litigation. Contact us online or call (757) 244-7000 to talk to a car accident attorney about the specifics of your case today.

Do I Need Medical Attention After a Car Accident? 

After a car accident, it is essential that you seek professional medical attention. With more vehicles on the road than ever before, it is no wonder that car accidents continue to be a pervasive cause of injury and death. The CDC estimates that car accidents are responsible for 100 deaths each day and send 2.1 million people to the emergency room each year. 

Immediately after a car accident, your adrenaline is running high and you may find it difficult to think straight. This flood of adrenaline may be masking pain or underlying injuries. Traumatic brain injuries are often called “invisible injuries” because they may not manifest until much later. Even if you don’t feel injured, it is important that you are examined by a medical professional so that you can be checked for injuries like these. 

Car accident injuries range from bumps and bruises to major, life-altering injuries. In some cases, bringing a lawsuit and collecting damages is the only way to afford the healthcare you need. 

There are a few different types of damages that you may be entitled to. Economic damages awarded following a car accident may include loss of wages, compensation for medical bills, or any other costs associated with your medical care. Damages can be awarded for pain and suffering and the emotional toll a car accident may have on you. If an action is especially egregious, a court will award punitive damages which are damages meant to explicitly punish the offending party. 

When Should I Seek Medical Attention After a Car Accident? 

It is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible after a car accident, not only for your own health and safety but so that your legal team can begin gathering evidence. If you plan to bring a lawsuit against the party who caused your injury, it is important that we gather evidence and begin building a case as soon as possible. 

Even if you don’t plan on pursuing legal action against an opposing party, consulting with a lawyer after a car accident might be a good idea. Insurance claims can be complicated and confusing and your insurance provider may even reject your claim. A lawyer can ensure that you are making the proper filings and claims and that your insurance company is providing you coverage. 

Common injuries sustained in car accidents include: 

Again, you may experience delayed injury symptoms after any kind of motor vehicle accident. You may even leave the accident scene feeling completely fine–that does not mean that you are uninjured! The onset of injury symptoms may not be noticeable at first or may set in later. Delayed injury symptoms may include: 

If you experience any of these symptoms following an accident, you should seek medical attention immediately. 

How Can Seeing a Doctor After a Car Accident Benefit My Claim? 

Seeking medical treatment after a car accident is a time-sensitive matter. Not only is it the most important step in protecting your health, but it is an important step in beginning your car accident litigation case. The documentation of your injuries and medical treatments will become important evidence if you decide to sue for damages. 

See a doctor as soon as you can after being involved in a car accident. If you cannot see a doctor immediately, seek medical attention within the first few days after your accident. The longer you wait, the longer it will take for you to start feeling better. 

Once you have safeguarded your health and wellness, it is time to start thinking about obtaining legal representation. Seeing a doctor will give you a good idea of what types of medical treatment you may need going forward.

The attorneys at the Smith Law Center have handled car accident litigation for decades and are unmatched in their ability to achieve results for you. Contact us online or call us at (757) 244-7000. We are standing by to help you achieve justice for your personal injury claim.

Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney

The experienced lawyers at the Smith Law Center are all too familiar with the effects of car accidents and are skilled at litigating these complicated matters. When choosing a lawyer to represent you after a car accident, it is important to consider an attorney’s experience and past results in the type of litigation you are hiring them for. 

The attorneys at the Smith Law Center have the skillset and training to achieve results for you. Their accomplishments include a jury verdict of $10.5 million dollars to a woman who suffered a closed head injury in a collision as well as a record jury award of $7.5 million dollar award to a woman who was injured in a car accident. 

You and your case matter and you deserve expert representation. Contact the caring lawyers at the Smith Law Center online or call (757) 244-7000 to learn how pursuing legal action may be the right step for you. 

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If you or a relative had a severe reaction to military housing mold, it might be time to talk with a toxic mold lawyer. Mold is everywhere, and can be dangerous. Researchers have linked mold to serious respiratory illnesses in some individuals.

Smith Law Center may be able to help if a property owner failed to keep you safe from mold in your military housing. We are one of Virginia’s oldest and most successful firms. We know how to hold negligent property owners responsible, especially when the military is involved.

Call us at (757) 244-700 or contact us online to set up a free consultation. There’s no fee for learning more about Virginia mold laws, your rights, and your legal options.

Mold in Military Housing

Black mold in military housing became widely known when Reuters published an investigation in 2018. Since then, the Department of Defense and the housing providers were supposed to take steps to improve the situation.

Unfortunately, a 2020 audit by the DoD Office of Inspector General found many issues, including the need for mold remediation, still persist.

Monetary Awards in Military Housing Toxic Mold Cases

If the property owner lets toxic mold run wild and continue to cause you harm, talk with our toxic mold attorneys about filing a lawsuit.

You may receive financial compensation for:

Service members and their families do not receive different types of damages than civilians. These are civil lawsuits in traditional courts of law.

Military Housing Mold Toxicity Symptoms

The Institute of Medicine discovered there was evidence connecting exposure to indoor mold with:

  • Upper respiratory tract symptoms;
  • Coughing;
  • Wheezing;
  • Asthma symptoms in individuals with asthma; and
  • Hypersensitivity pneumonitis in individuals with weak immune systems.

There is also limited evidence that mold causes respiratory illnesses in healthy children or causes people to develop asthma.

Understanding Exposure to Toxic Mold in Military Housing

The topic of toxic mold is complicated. This Is in part because the term “toxic mold” isn’t accurate. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains mold isn’t toxic or poisonous. However, some molds are toxigenic, which means they produce toxins called mycotoxins.

Mold is common in military housing because it’ll grow anywhere there’s moisture. That includes on and inside walls, carpet, upholstery, wallpaper, and heating and air conditioning systems. This is especially pronounced in humid conditions such as those present in Virginia.

Some people have no difficulties around mold, even large infestations in their homes. Other individuals are sensitive to molds, including those that produce mycotoxins. Someone can have a severe reaction when exposed to a large amount of mold indoors.

People may be more likely to experience mold toxicity symptoms if they have:

  • Allergies,
  • An underlying lung disease,
  • Immune suppression,
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder,
  • Asthma, or
  • Another chronic respiratory disease.

Common Types of Military Housing Mold

When you’re trying to learn more from the CDC and other resources, you’ll see the word “fungus” a lot. Mold is a type of fungus, which is something that exists all around us. Fungi are living organisms different from animals, plants, and bacteria. There are over 200,000 types of fungi and over 100,000 types of molds.

If you discovered mold in your military housing, it could be Cladosporium, Penicillium, Stachybotrys chartarum, Aspergillus, or many other types. Stachybotrys is what everyone knows as black mold. Aspergillus is a common indoor fungus, which releases mycotoxins and can cause illness. Your symptoms may resemble common allergy or asthma symptoms.

Who is Liable for Military Housing Mold?

Since 1996, most military housing has come under the management of private companies:

  • Belfour Beatty Communities: Fort Eustis and Fort Story/li>
  • Lincoln Military Housing: Dahlgren, Little Creek, Naval Station Norfolk, Northwest Annex, Oceana, Portsmouth, Quantico, and Yorktown/li>
  • Hunt Military Communities: Fort Lee and Langley AFB

Outside of Virginia, Lendlease and Corvias Military Living are two more housing providers. Together, these five companies formed the Military Housing Association.

Military families living in on-base housing must take their complaints to their private management company — not the military. The company is responsible for providing habitable conditions and making repairs, including mold remediation.

If you’re unsure about your rights, review your state law and local ordinances about mold. In general, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to provide a habitable unit, which means it has to be safe to live in. A unit isn’t safe if it’s causing a tenant health issues due to mold.

The Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act requires landlords to disclose if there’s mold in the written report of the move-in inspection. If a tenant discovers visible mold in the unit, then the Act requires the landlord to remove the mold and relocate the tenant until it’s gone at no additional cost to the tenant.

Unfortunately, many families find their housing providers aren’t receptive to complaints. Attorney Stephen M. Smith has handled many mold lawsuits against military housing providers who fail to abide by their lease terms and the law when it comes to mold remediation and other hazards.

Other Hazards in Military Housing

Many service members and their families deal with uncomfortable, if not hazardous, conditions in privatized military housing, including:

Lead Paint: Lead-based paint can cause headaches, nausea, fatigue, irritability, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures, organ damage, and in extreme cases, death.

Asbestos: Exposure to asbestos harms a person’s lungs, and can lead to lung fibrosis (scarring), lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

Radon: Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. It naturally forms underground, however cracks and gaps in buildings lead to over-exposure indoors.

Poor Water Quality: Dozens of military sites have water with detectable levels of harmful chemicals.

Other issues involve rodent or insect infestations, pesticides, and faulty electrical wiring.

What Happens When a Lot of People Get Sick?

Sometimes mold exposure impacts a single individual or family. However, when the mold spreads throughout military housing, it can impact hundreds or thousands of people.

Occasionally, a large enough group of people are injured to allow for a class action or mass tort lawsuit. A class action lawsuit is one where a class representative acts as the plaintiff on behalf of the group of hurt individuals. Not every victim participates in the lawsuit. There are rules about when a group is big and similar enough to create a class action.

Mass tort lawsuits are different. When there are fewer plaintiffs who have their own set of circumstances, each person files a lawsuit. For efficiency’s sake, one or a couple of law firms may represent most plaintiffs, and the lawsuits are consolidated in a federal court.

Call the Military Housing Mold Lawyers at Smith Law Center for Help Right Away

Mold cases come about in a few ways. You or a loved one may start getting sick, and after weeks or months of struggling to find answers, you finally realize your military housing has a mold infestation. In other cases, you struggle with visible mold and then become ill.

Once you connect the illness with the mold, it’s time to talk with a toxic mold lawyer. Reaching out to an attorney early helps you build a strong compensation claim. We know how to collect evidence, identify who is liable, and craft a successful argument for a settlement or court award.

Attorney Stephen M. Smith has decades of experience handling injury claims and has been internationally recognized for his work. He has litigated cases involving catastrophic injuries and complex legal and scientific issues. In 2019, he was inducted into the Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame.

You’re in good hands when you come to Smith Law Center for help. Reach out online or call (757) 244-7000 to schedule your 100% free consultation.

Military Housing Mold Lawsuits: FAQs

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We are one of Virginia’s largest and most successful law firms.

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Use the simple form below to send a message directly to our lawyers. We will respond within 1 hour or less during business hours.
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