Absolutely. Filing your initial claims against the at-fault driver (through the driver’s insurance company) sets down a marker for your claim. It doesn’t limit your ability to add to that claim.
Further medical care can bring to light additional injuries that were not immediately apparent. Many injuries are immediately obvious. Common motorcycle injuries include road rash, biker’s arm, broken bones—especially to the lower extremities—spinal cord injuries, and head injuries. Most of these are immediately apparent, but for some—primarily road rash and head injuries—the seriousness might not be known until as much as a week or more after the accident.
Road rash, which can be fairly mild or so serious as to require surgery and skin grafts—is highly susceptible to infection, which does not set in right away. Infections of road rash can have serious consequences and, if untreated, even cause death. Head injuries, especially traumatic brain injuries or TBI, also can be difficult to diagnose immediately.
Federal statistics show that TBIs are common in motorcycle accidents, even when the cyclist is wearing a helmet. Symptoms of mild TBIs generally fade quickly. However, many mild TBIs—such as many concussions—might look normal in a brain scan, and yet lead to lasting symptoms that do not immediately appear. Studies indicate up to 15 percent of those suffering mild TBIs suffer continuing symptoms. Even if symptoms do not immediately appear, your doctor should thoroughly examine you. Paramedics and ER doctors may miss hidden head injuries and could miss mild TBI. Untreated mild TBIs can cause ongoing problems that you will have a hard time linking to the original accident.
Even if you think you aren’t hurt badly, you should file a claim and get thorough medical confirmation of your injuries. Hiring an attorney under such circumstances also might help protect your rights as you and your doctor confirm your injuries.
