Most people in Kentucky are tough. Or stubborn, at least. If they’re sick, they don’t want to go to the doctor. If they’re hurt, they’ll just ride it out on aspirin until the hurt goes away. If they’ve been in a car crash, they don’t want to go to the hospital at all, and definitely not by ambulance.
But if you’re injured at all in a car crash, it’s decidedly in your best interest to take the ride EMS offers you and go get evaluated by trained doctors at the nearest emergency room. You might not feel it yet, or even know it, but you could have suffered an injury that will change your life, and not for the better. The sooner you get treatment and a plan for that injury, the better off you’ll be.
I’d bet that one big reason people don’t like to take the ambulance to the ER is the cost. It’s not cheap. An ambulance ride is often $500 or more, and the ER bill for a routine visit may be three times that. NOT going, however, could cost you even more in terms of your health, and in terms of any claims you may want to make against the party responsible for causing your injury.
You’re required to have a minimum of $10,000 in no-fault insurance on your vehicle in Kentucky. That’s going to cover your ambulance ride, ER visit, and other medical treatment you need related to the car crash until it runs out. The expense should not be an issue in most instances, though there are some exceptions.
Insurance companies will use your refusal to take an ambulance, your refusal to go to the ER, and your denial to the investigating police officer that you’re injured against you if you seek treatment and damages later.
I handle cases like this every day at Neal & Davis, PLLC. If you’ve been hurt in a car crash, call us at 502-633-6002 for legal advice that works. The first consultation is free – you can’t afford not to talk to us!