Anyone who has ever been in a car accident understands the importance of seeking medical attention. A doctor needs to make a determination as to whether the victim has been injured and to what extent. One diagnostic tool that doctors often use is known as the CT scan. This procedure can detect damage to the body that might not otherwise be seen, and can play a valuable role in a victim’s request for monetary damages. If you reside in California and have been injured in an automobile accident, talk to the team at Text Kevin Accident Attorneys.
What Is A CT Scan?
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A computerized tomography, or CT, scan is a combination of X-ray images that have been taken from different angles around the body. CT scans use computer processing to generate cross-sectional images of an individual’s bones, blood vessels, and soft tissues.
CT scans serve a variety of purposes, but they are especially useful for victims who may have suffered internal injuries or trauma. These include car accident victims, who often do not fully understand right away how bad their injuries are. A CT scan can be thought of as providing a visual image of nearly every inside part of the body, thereby enabling the doctor to accurately diagnose the victim’s injuries.
What Types of Injuries Can A CT Scan Detect?
It is vital to a car accident victim’s health that a medical professional correctly determine the nature of his or her injuries so a personalized treatment regimen can be implemented. Following a car accident, a CT scan can be used to diagnose a number of different injuries and conditions, including:
- Spinal cord injuries like herniated discs and spinal stenosis.
- Traumatic brain injury, or TBI.
- Other damage to the spinal cord or brain.
- Injuries to the bones and joints, including dislocations and fractures.
- Internal injury to the ligaments, muscles, or tendons.
- Aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, and other blood vessel abnormalities.
- Abnormalities in the heart and blood vessels.
Can A CT Scan Help My Personal Injury Lawsuit?
After someone is in a car accident, that person has the right to seek legal damages from the party or parties that caused them harm. The victim has the burden of proving all the elements of a personal injury lawsuit, including the extent of their injuries.
Car accident lawsuits are typically resolved in one of two ways: a settlement with the at-fault driver’s insurance company or a trial. Most lawsuits are settled out of court during mediation between the attorneys and insurers. CT scans can aid the victim’s case by demonstrating the presence of injuries that might not otherwise have been detected. While X-rays and physical examinations can help a doctor diagnose injuries, CT scan images go further and provide more detailed information. Without one, the victim may not understand just how bad he or she has been injured.
Once your case settles, you won’t get to ask for more money later if your injuries are worse than originally thought. Insurance companies require that victims sign waivers that will forego any further action, including litigation, in exchange for a settlement. This makes it critical to have a CT scan so you can understand the nature of your injuries and, through your attorney, negotiate a fair settlement.
The other route for resolving the accident is filing a lawsuit and going to trial. Litigation may also be needed if a lawsuit has been filed and negotiations with the insurer have been attempted, but the settlement amount offered is unreasonably low. In this case, it is strongly advised that you have a CT scan along with other medical tests to determine how badly you were hurt.
Expert witnesses play a critical role at trial. An expert witness is someone with specialized knowledge and training who can explain complex subjects to a jury. A medical expert witness can review the CT scan and recommendations from your doctor to determine the likely prognosis of your injuries. Your attorney will develop the expert’s testimony in court to help substantiate your claim for such future damages as medical costs and lost earning ability.
Count On Our Trusted California Legal Team
California car accident victims can count on Text Kevin Accident Attorneys to stand up for them. If you want to know more details specifically about CT brain scans (CT scans can be done on other parts of the body), please read our blog post on this topic. To get started on your legal case, call our office today.